Persephone Emerald's Page

This is the translation of a Chinese poem about the joys of sharing tea with a friend.

7 Cups of Tea, by Lu Tong (795 - 835 CE)

The first cup kisses away my thirst,

and my loneliness is quelled by the second.

The third gives insight worthy of ancient scrolls,

and the fourth exiles my troubles.

My body becomes lighter with the fifth,

and the sixth sends word from immortals.

But the seventh—oh the seventh cup—

if I drink you, a…

   The Autumn winds should chill me

   But a furnace heats my heart

   Burning with unabated anger

   I close my eyes to hear soft music

   Crisp piano notes like water in a stream

   Strings, a breeze whispering through leaves

   My body shivers in disquiet rage

   Not a frosty chill, nor a cool breeze

   But the tremor before an earthquake

   Earthquake weather is still and dry

   El Nino…

Part 1 (Sept. 25)

   I think sometimes "I love you", then wonder who I'm addressing this sentiment to. I realized one morning that I'm addressing it to my idea of a Deity that's present within all of existence. I'm addressing my Mother Goddess and all of Life around me. I'm not addressing it to a particular person. I'm not addressing it to a God who stands outside of His creation and wants adoration. I'm addressing it to a Deity that I believe created everything out of Itself…

   We probably all realize that Second Life is shrinking. Sims are disappearing faster than new ones are added. People die or leave faster than new ones come into the world. Maybe in physical reality the universe is expanding, but in Second Life it's contracting. For Firefly RP sims in particular, the "Verse is shrinking.

   This is probably part of an overall shrinkage of interest in SL, as well as decreased interest in the "Firefly" TV show & "Serenity" movie. There are…