Full moon, and a poem by Li Bai: “Drinking Alone under the Moon”, 月下獨酌

I went outside yesterday evening as I wasn't sleepy, and chanced to see that the moon was full. I went back to grab my camera and the Minolta 500mm mirror lens, then shot this photo handheld. The settings were 1/500 second at f/8 and ISO 200.

Here's an appropriate poem, by the great poet Li Bai from Tang dynasty China.

“Drinking Alone under the Moon”
Li Bai (李白)

Among the blossoms waits a jug of wine.
I pour myself a drink, no loved one near.
Raising my cup, I invite the bright moon
and turn to my shadow. We are now three.
But the moon doesn’t understand drinking,
and my shadow follows my body like a slave.
For a time moon and shadow will be my companions,
a passing joy that should last through the spring.
I sing and the moon just wavers in the sky;
I dance and my shadow whips around like mad.
While lucid still, we have such fun together!
But stumbling drunk, each staggers off alone.
Bound forever, relentless we roam:
reunited at last on the distant river of stars.

The original version, with pinyin below.
月下獨酌

花間一壺酒
獨酌無相親
舉杯邀明月
對影成三人
月既不解飲
影徒隨我身
暫伴月將影
行樂須及春
我歌月徘徊
我舞影零亂
醒時同交歡
醉後各分散
永結無情遊
相期邈雲漢

Huā jiān yī hú jiǔ,
Dú zhuó wū xiāng qīn;
Jǔ bēi yāo míng yuè,
Duì yǐng chéng sān rén.
Yuè jì bù jiě yǐn,
Yǐng tú suí wǒ shēn;
Zàn bàn yuè jiāng yǐng,
Xínglè xū jí chūn.
Wǒ gē yuè páihuái,
Wǒ wǔ yǐng língluàn;
Xǐng shí tóng jiāo huān,
Zuì hòu gè fēnsàn.
Yǒng jié wúqíng yóu,
Xiāng qī miǎo yúnhàn.

Credits to David Bowles for providing the poem and translation on his website: https://davidbowles.us/poetry/drinking-alone-under-the-moon-by-li-bai/

The camera is a Sony a77.

-aoi
Music: https://ao-i.bandcamp.com/
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ao-i/