The neon sky is sodden with mist tonight, Discoloured as the canals that carry Plastic bags under stepped stone bridges In ornamental gardens. Here scribes and poets Write elegantly of absent friends and distant wives.
Leaves that should compose their own calligraphy Of loneliness under a clarifying moon Are limp in its absence. Even poor Li Bai Had his own shadow to keep him company And with him raise a wine-cup to the moon.
My shadow lies within myself. And so I spin a globe and from that shadow I create a moon. I imagine its clear Fullness over Binn Mhór, the touch of frost That makes you settle deeper in our bed.
Paddy Bushe
Li Bai: an eighth-century Chinese poet
GLOSSARY GLOSSARY
Binn Mhór: a mountain in County Galway
TEST YOURSELF Answer either Question 1 or Question 2.
1. (a) Do you think the title of this poem is well chosen? Give reasons for your answer.
(b) Identify two images that you find interesting in this poem. Explain your choices, supporting your answer with reference to the poem.
OR
2. Discuss the effectiveness of the poet’s use of language throughout this poem. Your answer should refer closely to the text.
