Li Po

When the sky-flowers bloomed
In the heavens of the Dragon
Ancient jewel of the Orient
Before the waking West doomed
Your cities to be a string of pearls
Worn around the Lion’s neck

And Kublai Khan’s wisdom groomed
Your culture and power to supremacy
When the world was young, a girl
And your people were still untombed
Not yet an archeologist’s curiosity
When for your sacred day’s celebration

Colors fireworked the sky-fabric, boomed
Blossoms the shape and hue of your dreams
Short-lived stars of the face of the deep
And their bursting beauty in your many-roomed
Mind wended its white hot way behind
Your eyes closed not in sleep

But in pure pleasure, drunk from drinking
Too deep of the sky reflected on the Yangtze
When downriver the Emperor’s boat did creep
Holding for you the seat of high honor
For Hsuan Tsung loved Lady Yang Kuei-fei
Your poetic praises of her beauty’s deep

Dark duskiness made you their favorite
When the magicians practiced the art
Of throwing rockets skyward from the keep
Of the honorable Emperor, painting the night
In crisp clear colors of Heaven’s light
Did you in a passionate life-leap

Feel the awe in my soul at the sight
Know me as now I know you, O drinking poet
Who drowned trying to grasp the moon dancing
On the silver of the water, a teasing wight
Yes, Li Po, you knew me as I lay lapping sky
With wondering eyes on that Fourth of July

Li Po? Li Po! Can you hear me? Am I right?