Leaving Baidi Town in Early Morning

Li Bai(Tang)

In early morn I startwhen Baidi is amid the rosy cloud

For Jiang ling and travel a thousand li within a day

As the riverbanks echo with the monkey's cry aloud

Before a myriad of mountains the swift boat has glided away.

Comment

In the poem the poet paints his scene by exploiting such minute descriptions as "a thousand li""within a day""the swift boat"and "a myriad of mountains"a rapid exciting cruise downstream to emphasize his light heart The first two lines show through using the exaggerated figure of "a thousand li" the long distance and the sharp drop between the towns Baidi and Jiangling suggesting that he is taking a speedy downstream trip. The echoing of the monkeys cries along the riverbanks sounds as if they were cheering for the swift boat And before their cries die away it  has already left ten-thousand mountains behind. What a delightful thrilling boat-ride down the Three Gorges!