[Poem] TRAVELING AS A STRANGER - A glimpse of wine’s warmth erasing the ache of distant travels

In this short poem, Li Bai highlights the allure of fine wine and gracious hospitality as a remedy for the pangs of homesickness. Through rich imagery—‘fragrant like sweet orchids’ and ‘shimmers with an amber glow’—he evokes a sense of delight that transcends the sadness of being away. The focal point is not longing but the uplifting power of communal revelry, where shared warmth and merriment blur the lines between familiar and foreign. Each line underscores wine’s symbolic role in uniting strangers and dissolving social or geographical barriers. Ultimately, this poem affirms that human connection, paired with the simple act of raising a glass, can transform an unfamiliar place into a momentary home. In just four lines, Li Bai captures a timeless lesson: by embracing the joys of the present and forging bonds of camaraderie, we can ease our hearts from the weight of distance and alienation.