Sunday, October 2, 2016

A Minute Meditation

A SUGGESTION TO MY FRIEND LIU

There's a gleam of green in an old bottle,
There's a stir of red in the quiet stove,
There's a feeling of snow in the dusk outside--
What about a cup of wine inside?
                             -- Po Chu-yi --
from The Jade Mountain
trans.  Witter Bynner



Don't know about you, but it works for me.

12 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Mudpuddle,

      I don't understand. Getting what?

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    2. oh. i changed the plugs and adjusted the valves on the computer and it developed hiccups, so i didn't know if the communications part was working or not; i had sent a couple of comments and had grounds for thinking they weren't getting to you, so hence the query... very nice poem; seasonal and apropos; our vine maples are rioting with color this year: anticipating a tough winter, i hope not...

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    3. Mudpuddle,

      OK, yes, you're coming through fine. Sometimes I get busy and take a while to publish or respond. Sorry about that. I now find that getting on the computer late at night causes problems trying to fall asleep, so I don't get on during the evenings much any more.

      I thought it was a nice pairing of signs of winter and a friendly invitation.

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    4. hmm... maybe that's why i have trouble some times... but it would be hard to give it up at that time; it keeps me away from the tv...

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    5. Mudpuddle,

      I have a TV set, but it's not set up for TV reception, but only for DVD viewing. I don't have cable or an antenna, so I'm not tempted.

      That thing is addictive.

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    6. you're sure right about that... we cut off commercial tv some years ago... but we get netflix movies, which is probably just as bad; except not having commercials is a whole lot better... the frailties of being human...

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    7. Mudpuddle,

      I view DVDs which I get from Netflix and the public library. I'm not set up for streaming, and it's best I keep it that way. It would be too dangerous a temptation.

      The glass or two of wine or beer or a liquor and a friend is still the best evening.

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    8. i don't drink much; mostly read and watch in the evenings; otherwise, take care of the place and my list of honeydos...

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    9. Mudpuddle,

      Don't drink much either, but a beer or wine or a brandy is relaxing while watching something. Doesn't help that much with a book though.

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  2. Fred and Mudpuddle, I just finished a book by Simon Winchester -- The Men Who United the States -- and there was a great section on the development of media (from telegraphy to the Internet) with compelling sections about the hypnotic powers of radio and television; since you both seem to eschew the latter, Winchester's views on the topic might interest you.

    As for wine, beer, liquor, and friends, I gave up on three-out-of-four long ago (i.e., like TV, too addictive), and the fourth seems to be short supply these days. So, I find good evenings in stories and novels, and my renewed passion -- before I run out of time for indulging my passion -- is Flannery O'Connor. She too can be an addiction. Perhaps that has something to do with her favorite character type: the Christian malgre lui.

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