Expert answer:Good evening class, I am going to start off by being honest, I
read the first poem by Li Bai and never knew that many interpretations
or that much meaning could be pulled out of such a short poem. I have
never really been a poem person. I have picked two of Li Bai’s poems
and have thought long and hard with regards to the fate and
inevitability in them. The first poem that I chose was the first one in the book was Quiet Night Thoughts, “Before my bed, the bright moonlight I mistake it for frost on the ground Raising my head, I stare at the bright moon; Lowering my head, I think of home” (Zonq-qi-Cai, 237) When
I think of fate and inevitability, there is fate that could be
interpreted in the poem, as far as being reminded of home. I do not
necessarily see how there is any inevitability within the poem. Being
reminded of home was inevitable. The second poem I chose was, Sending Off Meng Haoran to Guangling at Yellow Crane Tower, “An old friend leaves the west at Yellow Crane Tower And in flower mists of the third month descends to Yanghou The far shadow of a lone sail is lost in the azure sky I see only the Yangtze River, flowing to the edge of heaven” (Zonq-qi-Cai, 243-244) This
poem is different in my eyes, it could be interpreted that his friend
leaving was inevitable and the fate piece of the poem is him meeting his
friend. There are probably many different ways it could be
interpreted, that is my thoughts. Please give me your feedback, it is much appreciated. Larry References How
to Read Chinese Poetry: A Guided Anthology, edited by Zonq-qi-Cai,
Columbia University Press, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/apus/detail.action?docID=895211.
