Ancient Chinese subway poem AskMe followup

September 16, 2004 11:07 AM

In the green, I recently posted a question about a poem I once read but couldn't locate. I was asked to post the poem if I found it, which I have. The original thread has been archived, so I'm posting it here. I hope this isn't an etiquette violation. If it is, I'm sorry.
posted by grumblebee to Etiquette/Policy at 11:07 AM (12 comments total)

Too Much Heat, Too Much Work

It’s the fourteenth of August, and I’m too hot
To endure food, or bed. Steam and the fear of scorpions
Keep me awake. I’m told the heat won’t fade with Autumn.

Swarms of flies arrive. I’m roped into my clothes.
In another moment I’ll scream down the office
As the paper mountains rise higher on my desk.

O those real mountains to the south of here!
I gaze at the ravines kept cool by pines.
If I could walk on ice, with my feet bare!

Tu Fu (712-770)
Translated from the Chinese by Carolyn Kizer
posted by grumblebee at 11:08 AM on September 16, 2004 [1 favorite]

Thanks grumblebee.
posted by kenko at 11:15 AM on September 16, 2004

Awesome!

If that's an etiquette violation, you go ahead and violate me anytime you like!

Er....
posted by freebird at 11:38 AM on September 16, 2004

thanks, that question was making me batty last night.
posted by jessamyn at 11:40 AM on September 16, 2004

There are a lot of ideas out there for handling follow-ups better. Generally they've been pretty well-received on MeTa, although the volume of them has been low. Theoretically, every AskMe question has a potential follow-up: how did it work out in the end? what did the real lawyer say? did your rash clear up? whatever... If they were all posted as MeTa threads, I think it would get out of hand. But so far, so good, while we wait for a pony.
posted by scarabic at 12:02 PM on September 16, 2004

The original thread's been archived? The one you posted yesterday? It wasn't archived for me...and it looks like you posted the poem there too.

I'm not saying it's a foul, but I'm wondering why you're saying it was archived.
posted by Vidiot at 12:55 PM on September 16, 2004

Vidiot: because -- for me at least -- it's not on the front page of the Green. I have to go down to the bottom and click "current archives." I posted it there too, because that's what I would want someone else to do. I would like to be able to search for a past question and find ALL info in one place.

I posted here because a couple of people asked me to post the poem, and I figured they'd miss it if I just put it in the archived thread.

Again, sorry if I erred.
posted by grumblebee at 1:03 PM on September 16, 2004

That poem is all the more poignant for me because it refers to my birthdate:-)
posted by orange swan at 1:13 PM on September 16, 2004

People are just a little confused by your post because archive has a special meaning here. It means the thread has been closed and you can't post to it anymore. Off the front page is just off the front page.
posted by Mitheral at 3:29 PM on September 16, 2004

Oh, sorry. I wasn't aware of the special meaning. You DO have to click on a link that say "archives" to get to it. So I was being literal.
posted by grumblebee at 7:56 PM on September 16, 2004

What is it with you Westerners and your homepage fanaticism? You people are always freaking the shit when a something fall from the front page of web site, as if it no more exist. I tell you, my friend, we know the solution in my country. The best is to repost on front page as soon as falls off. Then she go to top right the way! Of course, this make my brother complain, and he call me on cell phone, because this make his post fall off bottom homepage now. But I tell him: "What is the matter you head! You are as smart like a tangle rope! You go and a repost YOUR on homepage, too!" See how simple she is? Really, my friend. I tell you the truth here. The government knows nothing about how to solve these problems. Those dogs only know how to smoke hashish and steal all the country's nylon stockings for their prostitutes.
posted by scarabic at 8:33 PM on September 16, 2004

scarabic = Borat? Who knew?
posted by Vidiot at 11:16 PM on September 16, 2004