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Back in July of 2007 the Tibetan singer and musician Pasang Dolma was kind enough to forward to me the english translations of the lyrics to the songs on her album Memories (Dren sem). I present them here as they stand alone as poetry in their own right. They are also a great insight into the Tibetan culture. The album is very much worth purchasing if you happen to come across it. On the CD that I have there is an eleventh track but I have lyrics here for only ten songs, so I’m not sure which one is missing.
1. The Jewel of Tibet
Wishing good luck on your birthday!
May you live long!
From the golden mountain in the east,
Arose the golden sun
The countless rays of the sun,
Spread all over the world.
From the middle of Lake Lhamo Latso,
A ka ma, the letters of prophecy,
Surfaced and welcomed,
The Jewel of Tibet.
In the blissful birthplace of Taktse,
To a loving mother,
Descended the Protector of All Sentient Beings,
Gyalwang Tenzin Gyatso.
Dance the joyous dance,
And sing the happy song,
We will dedicate to you,
The dances of joy and happiness.
2. Sweetheart
Our coming together,
Is the result of good fate,
That our good fate doesn’t change,
Sweetheart! You must strive!
Sweetheart! You must strive!
When you are not around,
The day seem so long,
When it is time for us to separate,
Tears come naturally,
You! My sweetheart!
Look in my direction,
Do not go far,
Stay besides me.
Stay besides me.
3. Democracy
In an egalitarian democracy treading the path of peace,
The wheel of religion and politics revolves.
Future Tibet will speed along this highway,
And realize the revival of their prosperity.
Embrace the path of democracy to bring about,
Equality of race, gender and peace!
Forty two years have passed,
Since HH the Dalai Lama,
Gave us the highway of democracy.
We must remember this kindness!
Observe the equality of race and gender,
And traverse the path of democracy!
4. Karma
This fate of our coming together,
Is the result of our past Karma,
Even with nothing to eat except mud,
We will forever stay with each other.
So...so...ya...la
This fate of our coming together,
Is the karma for the yellow swan,
Although having nothing bur water to drink,
I don’t see the need for us to separate.
So...so...ya...la
5. Chang song
The first chang,
i offter to the Three Jewels,
Enjoy the fine chang!
And may luck and prosperity shine forth!
I offered the first to the Three Jewels!
The second chang,
I offer to my dear parents,
Enjoy the delicious chang!
And my you live for hundred of years!
I offered the second to my dear parents.
The third chang,
i offered to my friends,
Enjoy the fine chang!
And may you become healthy!
I offered the third to the friends.
6. Memories
Leaving behind my happy homeland,
I had to venture into a foreign country,
Taking small steps on the way,
I crossed countless trails along high precipices.
The rivers with their wrinkle-like ripples,
Are like the smiling face of my parents.
Mountains, high and low,
I thought they were my relatives.
In an unfamiliar foreign country,
The day seem long,
Abundant, food and drinks may be,
My mind does not seem attached here.
7. Long life empowerment
In the town of Dharamsala,
At the Tsuglakhang Cathedral,
To the people, lay and monks.
The religious faithful,
Who have gathered on this courtyard,
All without exception were,
Given long life pills, long life chang and dresil.
8. Incense burning Ceremony
On an auspicious and meritorious day
I went to an incense burning ceremony,
Amidst the clouds of fragrant smokes,
I saw the face of my parents.
Unfurled the five-colored prayer flags,
High in the expanse of the sky,
From my heart, I pray,
That my parents live long!
9. Tibet—Roof of the World
The mountains of Himalaya!
Can you shift a little?
I thought I shall catch a glimpse,
Of the Potala Palace.
I remember, yes, I remember,
I remember day and night.
Tibet-Roof of the world,
I remember day and night.
The rivers from the snow mountains,
Flows down on this earth,
I wish I could hear the bells ringing,
Of the Tsuglakhang Temple in Lhasa.
I remember, yes, I remember,
I remember day and night.
Brothers and sisters of the same race,
I remember day and night.
Brothers and sisters of the same race,
Do not be sad,
After one or two years,
We shall return bearing good news.
Brothers and sisters of the same race,
I pray for our reunion.
10. Promise of Love
Do not be sad,
The thrush under the willow,
If fate and luck is on our side,
Then a day of our meeting shall come.
This fate of ours,
Is like the fate of a crane couple,
That we shall live and die together in this life,
This is our promise of love!
When we separated the year earlier,
Tears of sadness came out,
At this place this year,
Bamboo without joints have grown,
If the bamboo can help me,
Reach for my beloved,
I hope I can see the face of beloved,
From amidst the bamboo.
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©2008 Robert K. Foster
Posted on Tue, Mar 04, 2008 at 5:01 PM ( Updated Mar 04, 2008 )
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Whenever I have the funds available I try to support a number of wildlife and nature organizations. One of those is the National Wildlife Federation ( http://www.nwf.org/ ) which recently included a little snippet of paper in one of its mailings to me. The paper was entitled “Protecting wildlife can be easy and fun!”. I decided to include the information here, quoted below from an unknown Author, and see if I could expand a little on the points given, from my own experience. Not only will this put the information online, if it’s not already there/here, but it might help me better learn the concepts and possibly be of interest to readers.
At first, after reading this little mailing flyer, I was struck by how many of the ideas mentioned might upset neighbors or city ordinances in some areas. I live in a major city in Michigan that requires lawns to be 8 inches or less in height or you risk receiving a violation from the city. One year I was required to remove all Queen Anne’s lace plants from my property, many consider these to be weeds.
But on to the main points of the mailing…
Native Plants
“Grow native plants found in your area including trees, shrubs and other plants that offer food such as pollen, nectar, nuts, cones, berries and other seeds.”
After doing some research this Winter about the feeding of deer and the moral and practical aspects of that, I came to the conclusion that natural food sources are the best for native deer populations as well as other wildlife. Providing hay or corn to wild deer that do not regularly eat those is actually detrimental to their health. Indeed deer can die within 24 to 48 hours from a disease called Acidosis which results from the acidity created by corn eaten in volume which deer cannot properly digest. Deer that regularly graze through the outskirts of a farmer’s field of corn eat only small quantities and are not as prone to this problem. But other deer that do not regularly eat corn are risking their lives without knowing it.
Despite my desire to help local deer through a frigid Michigan Winter my conclusion was that the deer know best what food to eat, I just have to make sure there is enough of the natural sources of that food to provide them sustenance through the Winter. There is also a lot of wild grape vines in my yard that provide small fruit to something, as I find the stalks stripped clean of berries every spring.
Provide Water
“Provide water for wildlife with a birdbath, small pond or shallow dish…or care for a natural spring or stream on or near your habitat.”
Ponds and standing water can be problematic I think due to the problems of insects like mosquitoes. But having a natural spring or stream nearby would be great. Of course you have to consider the risk of flooding but having some open water around your property seems like a good thing. I use small bird baths, which of course many people have. The Winter is when birds and other wildlife need water the most so having some way to keep the water from freezing is definitely worthwhile.
Maintaining a man-made pond can be difficult but if done right would likely add beauty and peace to a property, especially if there is some sort of water circulation provided. Many people find peace in listening to the sound of running or gurgling water. The depth of the pond would be key if you expect the creatures inhabiting it to survive the winter without your help. Of course having a pond requires the same safety concerns as having a pool if you have small children in the family or neighborhood.
Protective Cover
“Create protective cover for wildlife by growing a meadow, a prairie, densely branched shrubs and, when appropriate, evergreens. Place hollow logs and rock piles in your yard.”
My yard is full of trees, as well as some bushes. I sometimes feel like I am the only oasis of trees in my neighborhood. As any tree owner knows your charges will drop many a branch whenever they feel like it. I end up with a number of branch piles that I think are home to a few rabbits in the area, although I’m not sure. Other property owners likely have wood chippers to handle excess branches but I find that a natural fencing can be created by selectively placing branch piles to block or allow wildlife traffic. Rock piles would also be nice if done aesthetically.
Nesting and Plants
“Build birdhouses, attach to metal poles and monitor their use. Grow host plants for butterfly and moth caterpillars to eat and provide dense plantings to create safe areas for nesting wildlife.”
I don’t have any birdhouses in my yard, mostly due to the difficulty of finding spots for them and making sure they are clean and useful to local birds. I am also not all that familiar with the birds that might live in the area, other than the robins, crows, cardinals, and bluejays that make themselves so apparent. But I think finding native plants that provide good locations for natural nesting and food for other things like caterpillars is good for a property. I have a red thorn bush that a bird couple setup house in one year. You can’t get more protective than that.
In Conclusion, I find it sad that many people nowadays appear to have a disconnect with nature that makes a “natural” yard seem somehow hazardous or a “violation” of acceptable behavior. Many of the above would have to be done carefully in some areas in order to avoid fines or violating city ordinances. The National Wildlife Federation has a Backyard Wildlife Habitat ( http://www.nwf.org/bwh ) program that expands on these ideas.
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©2008 Robert K. Foster
Posted on Sat, Mar 01, 2008 at 6:22 PM ( Updated Mar 01, 2008 )
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Today we completed the redesign of the home page for the boogie woogie piano duo “Seeley & Baldori”. Bob Seeley and Bob Baldori are both living connections to a musical heritage that is the backbone of American music. Both Bob’s play a relentless keyboard in the truest sense of jazz playing—Infectious rhythm and dizzying improvization. Both have unparalleled credentials in the genre.
The “Seeley & Baldori” web site has information on their concert schedule, audio CD’s of their music for sale, links to social networking sites where they can be found, and performance videos taken at some of their concerts, as well as other links and information.
This initial redesign should provide better access to information about the act for fans and the general public as well as providing a better feel for the musical performances. We hope to make further improvements and additions to the site over time.
You can visit the web site at: http://www.boogiebob.com/
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©2008 Robert K. Foster
Posted on Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 11:11 AM ( Updated Feb 04, 2008 )
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But it always seems to be prime weather for the first facial sunburn of the season.
