Notes from Random Travels

Name: Notes from Random Travels
ISBN: 9787530691397

刘流Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaJul 2026

3.2

Word count: 19K words
Chapters: 107
ISBN: 9787530691397

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Summary

Wandering Notes is a poetry collection: a selection of poems the author has written over the 28 years from 1997 to the present, most of which have already appeared in newspapers and journals of various kinds. The selection is divided into four parts: Post-Road Hoofbeats, Whispers of Time, Wandering Miscellany, and The Mourner. The poems gathered here are the flashes of spirit and re-creations of the soul from the poet's many years of travel and sojourning. The poems are short in form, and many in the collection boldly dissect social reality and confront the inner world, carrying a cautionary critical force born of self-reflection.

Editor's review

Roaming Notes is a selection of poems by the poet Liu Liu written over the twenty-eight years from 1997 to the present, most of which have already been published in various newspapers and journals. The book is divided into four sections—"Post-Road Hoofprints," "Whispers of Time," "Roaming Miscellany," and "The Mourner"—with subjects drawn largely from the poet's years of travel and sojourns, capturing flashes of spirit and reflections of the soul along the way. The poems are short in form and condensed in language, without elaboration or expansiveness, yet within their limited space they retain a strong sense of self-examination; some works boldly dissect social reality and confront the inner world, carrying a critical force born of self-reflection that gives the reading a sobering quality. The words "roaming" and "notes" in the title point to the book's character: it is both a record of travel and a letter addressed to time and to the self. It suits casual reading in quiet intervals; there is no need to read it straight through—one can enter through any section. It can also serve as a sample for poets observing how short poems distill emotion and reflection.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Poetry readers who enjoy short lyric poems and travel themes
Readers interested in expressions of self-examination and critique in contemporary poetry
Poets who want to learn from the condensed craft of short poems
Readers accustomed to dipping into poetry collections in fragmented moments

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long narrative or plot-driven works
Beginners seeking systematic explanations of poetic theory
General readers with little interest in contemporary lyric poetry

Reading tips

There is no need to read straight through; pick up any of the four sections and browse at random.
When you encounter a short poem, read it aloud once to feel the handling of rhythm and pauses.
Jot down lines that move you, and reread them after a while to compare how you feel.
Pay attention to where travel and self-examination intertwine in the poems, and sense where the critical force comes from.

About the publisher

Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958

Founded in August 1958 and restructured into Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. in 2009, Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House is known for publishing essays and fiction, and it hosts the journals Fiction Monthly and Essays. Its 757 titles in the library span classic works, culture, folk literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, foreign literature, and general biography. They include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Zhu Ziqing's selected essays and Classic Essays, Fu Lei's Twenty Lectures on Masterpieces of World Art, and a Chinese translation of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's Rashōmon, as well as cultural and performing-arts titles such as the illustrated Biography of Liang Qichao and A Dictionary of Crosstalk. Its authors include Lao She, Zhu Ziqing, Wu Qichang, Fu Lei, Xue Baokun, Gao Yucong, Wei Zhiqiang, and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa.

版权信息
比空气更清冽的是思想——试说刘流其人其诗
荐读语
驿路蹄音
客次辞
异乡一夜
一个小旅馆的傍晚
喊洞
我的身体已长成这条河流
山居吟
傍晚走过被火燃过的土地
狼烟
候鸟
行走
盘阳河
离别辞
石头
清晨，我拨开古城门的木闩
寻茶记
一个人的烟火
山村之晨
山村之夜
遭遇瑶里
草原之夜
私语
秋景
叫秋
山村即景
蹚水过河的羊
山庄故事
时间的耳语
一瞬
耳语
秋天的树木
十二月
登梵净山
驱赶
柴
打开冬野的N种方式
回忆
季节已深，我不能潜行
船
发生
异乡的河流
静夜
请给春天留个座位
某日
泅渡
我遭受敲打的一天又开始了
我的目标就像一道闪电
摇曳
水边漫步
秋歌
仲秋
寒露之后
熏肉
失眠者
回南天
漫行散轶
风筝
影视城
经历一种
一水间
永远的江南
致女儿书
跑鱼河
快速路
关于地铁
城市轻轨
雨滴
事件：520
一块石头
搬书记
筷子
临窗
石锁
杀牛
经幡
死亡——给LR
春意
铁画
一枚脐橙——致梵修
无题
饮者
丹东
临窗夜眺
云浮
祭者
祭
中元祭
立冬日
回乡偶记
距离——致生日
赶山
万圣节
打开山村的另一种方式
抽烟者
过年
月夜，他走向村头的河流
医院即景
一百日
倒春寒
白露后的父亲
乡间书
打印
正月初一之游园不值
跋

FAQ

Over what period were the poems in this collection written?

According to the book's introduction, the selected poems were written over the twenty-eight years from 1997 to the present, and most have already been published in various newspapers and journals. It can be described as a poetry selection spanning nearly three decades.

What are the contents of the four sections?

The book is divided into four sections—"Post-Road Hoofprints," "Whispers of Time," "Roaming Miscellany," and "The Mourner." The poems collected are mostly flashes of spirit and reflections of the soul from the poet's years of travel and sojourning, and the collection as a whole conveys a character of roaming and reflection.

Can readers without a poetry background get into it?

They can try. The poems are short in form and condensed in language, so individual pieces are not burdensome to read, and the book suits casual browsing. It is best to start with the section that interests you and not aim to understand everything at once—first feel the rhythm and mood of the lines, then gradually appreciate the self-examination within them.

Comments

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About the author

刘流 Author

Liu Liu is an author about whom limited public information is available; only one work by this author is currently known, the modern poetry collection Man Xing Ji (roughly, "Verses Sent from a Leisurely Journey"). Judging from the title and its common classification, Liu Liu's writing is mainly modern poetry, with themes often related to travel and wandering, carrying a sense of reflection and sentiment. Because reliable records of birth and death dates, nationality, education, and creative experience are unavailable, a more specific account of the author's life cannot be given. In the existing work, Liu Liu's poetic language tends toward lyricism, focusing on capturing personal feelings while walking and observing, and turning travel impressions into condensed verse. Man Xing Ji is the main basis for understanding Liu Liu's writing, and readers may use it to appreciate the author's choice of subject matter and manner of expression. Overall, Liu Liu's writing awaits more materials and works before a fuller picture can be formed.