THICK GROW THE RUSH LEAVES

1
THICK GROW THE RUSH LEAVES

• From The Book of Songs

2
STANZA 1

• Thick grow the rush leaves Their white dew
  turns to frost (1-2)
• Setting
• Autumn
• Near death

3
STANZA 1

• Plot
• Looking for the man she loves
• Goes up the river to look for him
• But the way was difficult and long (6)
• Goes down stream to look for him
• And there in midwater/Sure enough, its he
  (8-9)

4
STANZA 2

• Close grow the rush leaves, Their white dew
  not yet dry (10-11)
• Setting
• Winter

5
STANZA 2

• Plot
• Same as Stanza 1
• Once again, repetition is significant

6
STANZA 3

• Very fresh are the rush leaves The white dew
  still falls (19-20)
• Setting
• Spring

7
STANZA 3

• Plot
• Same as Stanzas 1 and 2

8
PRESENCE OF TAOISM

• Nature Imagery
• Rush leaves
• River
• Dew
• Frost

9
PRESENCE OF TAOISM

• Water Imagery
• When she fights against the current, her search
  is a failure
• When she goes with the current, she always finds
  her love

10
PRESENCE OF TAOISM

• Water Imagery (cont.)
• Similar to Substance, Shadow and Spirit
• You had better go where Fate leads-- Drift on
  the Stream of Infinite Flux, Without joy,
  without fear

11
PRESENCE OF TAOISM

• Water Imagery (cont.)
• When she flows with the Tao (downstream),
  everything is taken care of
• When she fights the Tao (upstream), she does not
  find what she is looking for