Thoughts in the Silent Night
Li Bai · Tang
Before my bed a pool of light
I wonder if it's frost on the ground
Looking up, I find the mountain moon
Looking down, I think of my hometown
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The bright moonlight before my bed, I suspect it is frost on the ground. Raising my head to gaze at the bright moon, Lowering my head to think of my homeland.
Moonlight pools before my bed, So bright I think it's frost on the ground. I lift my head to watch the moon, Then bow it, thinking of home.
The moon has long been a symbol of longing and home in Chinese poetry. The full moon represents completeness and reunion, making it especially poignant for someone far from home. This poem captures the universal experience of homesickness, expressed through the simplest of images. The juxtaposition of the cold, bright moon and warm memories of home creates a sense of melancholy that resonates across cultures and time periods.
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