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Analysis and comments on The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter by Ezra Pound

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Comment 5 of 15, added on May 30th, 2005 at 1:20 PM.

Yes, this poem really is based on a poem by Li T'ai Po, one of China's
greatest poets. His literary name was Li Po. If you look this poem up in
actual high school text books, it says "based on a poem by Li T'ai Po" on
top of the poem and gives you a summary of this Chinese author. Ezra Pound
simply translated the poem.

Cathy from United States
Comment 4 of 15, added on May 24th, 2005 at 12:13 PM.

Does everyone relized this is not an original poem but a translation of Li
Po's from the Tang Dynasty??? It's a DIRECT translation... I even found the
poem in Chinese!!!!!

Lulu from United States
Comment 3 of 15, added on January 30th, 2005 at 12:48 PM.

most of them are not trusted

halima from Tanzania
Comment 2 of 15, added on January 9th, 2005 at 9:57 AM.

It's surely not enough for Aya to quote the single line, 'They hurt me: I
grow older'.
What hurts is the sight of the butterflies - paired butterflies - seen by
this lonely girl. They have grown yellow, already ageing in the brief lives
of the creatures, reminders of the autumn-touched leaves, falling early,
too soon reminding of the dieing of the year. In her loneliness, this is
what hurts her and makes her feel the passing of time.
A pity all Pound's work is not so accessible!

Ray Dunn from United Kingdom
Comment 1 of 15, added on November 30th, 2004 at 5:40 PM.

"They hurt me. I grow older."

This one line gets me every time I read it.

Aya from United States

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Information about The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter

Poet: Ezra Pound
Poem: The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter
Added: Feb 21 2003
Viewed: 15450 times


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