Shi Jing, The Book of Odes: Lessons from the states, Odes Of Bei

[x_los]

This is a longer chapter than the previous two, and people are still catching up with the last two chapters/acclimating to the format. Thus we'll only do one chapter this week.

I'm going to post this week's poem translations in the body of the discussion to make commenting a bit easier. 

Get your 'odes of bae' jokes out early, before the rush.

Comments

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[aeriallon]

My dumb poetry take is that they're elegant and fancy but here have become worn/tired, as if something was once great and noble but has now fallen in stature. Like the regard of the uncles for the speaker/s? But who are the uncles? Why aren't they showing up? I really don't get this one.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[forestofglory]

That makes sense, thanks! I don't know about the uncles.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[aeriallon]

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[x_los]

"How wide apart are [now] its joints!" what joints?

So I guess they've been routed/displaced and are refugees now, and their overlords have yet to come to their relief. At best, it's because they're awaiting allies (not particularly RUSHING to help, even if this is the case). At worst, despite the full robes of office they bear and the responsibility for those under them that ought to attend these, their overlords have decided they're expendable and betrayed the poet, and will not come relieve them at all. I think.