L'aura del Campo

James Doohan, Scotty. Ombra mai fu. Eutin Guitar Orchestra

Scotty's last lament

         for James Doohan (RIP, 20 July 2005)

Drink to me and prop me up!
Make bagpipe moans resound.
My labours of a life are done.
Let other drivers frown.

In a voice most dear, he rings forth clear,
through mothballed memories:

Wrap me up? Don't lay me low!
Don't stow me in the ground.
Stash me here in glass, eyes up,
to see Mankind star-bound.

One last word to stir our souls,
to look up past the clouds:

Now, listen here, just beam me up.
Lord, get me OFF this mound.

© Kåre Enga

It has been reported that the ashes of James Doohan, a.k.a. Scotty of Star Trek fame, will be sent to Outer Space:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070402/ap_en_tv/people_doohan_rocket_launch

The above poem was written just after his death. It can be reviewed at: "Scotty's last lament (James Doohan)"  (I made one correction, Dear Alfred! It has had 253 views, so it is one of my best viewed here at WDC.)

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BEWARE THE DANDELION THAT ROARS BEWARE THE DANDELION THAT SOARS
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L'aura del campo

Spring: 13 Bahá 164 (2 April) 82º and sunny.

'é a lua, é a lua, na quintana dos mortos'
♣ Federico García Lorca ♣

Ombra mai fu

These are the words I want sung at my funeral. They were among the first I heard sung as a child of 3. I remeber my father sitting in the overstuffed green chair by the front door, the light streaming in through the venetian blinds. This was playing and it is one of the most peaceful memories I have and one of the few from my early childhood. Another is hearing "Greensleeves" in my parent's bedroom.

"Ombra mai fu" is an aria from the opera Xerxes, composed by George Frederick Händel. It is commonly referred to as the "Largo from Xerxes".

A link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ombra_mai_fu

Ombra mai fu ... Serse's aria from Serse

Frondi tenere e belle
Del mio Platano amato,
Per voi risplenda il Fato
Tuoni, Lampi, e Procelle
Non vi oltraggino mai la cara pace,
Ne giunga a profanarvi Austro rapace.

Ombra mai fu
Di Vegetabile,
Care ed amabile
Soave piu.

English translation of Italian libretto (I couldn't find German libretto):

Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
Let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never bother your dear peace,
Nor may you be profaned by blowing winds.

Never was made
the shade of a plant,
dear and loving,
or more gentle.

This is recording of Benianino Gilgi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYQo9pGXKpE&search=beniamino+gigli

And countertenor Yoshikazu Mera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNbbVHnTecw

The libretto and sheet music is found at: http://wso.williams.edu/cpdl/sheet/bono-omb.pdf

WRITING

My plugging of new poetry is working! I even like the new system that hides my ratings from everyone else: "Footprints in the snow"  (for Nyia Page), "Violets" , "The moon is blue ice" , "Song of an Age" , "Plain cover jacket" , "In search of Iris" , "Crow feathers" , "Like water for chocolate," , "Love-lies-bleeding" , and "Spear" .

These are in a folder I have renamed Room 222, because they pay 222 gps per review. Also, because my favorite digit is 2.

No reviews for my 'short short' yet: "Laura by moonlight" . But I'm not too worried, as my strength is poetry. I wrote it because I was inspired by the picture, the contest prizes are awesome! and I finished it and posted it ... well to finish it and wish it the best.

Wrote about a redbud tree [164.22]. I'm inspired every Spring to write at least one poem. And a poem for the mineral apatite [164.23].

Me, my friends and my family

Okay ... I called my mom and forgot to call my aunt. I promise I will try again this evening. DO NOT send search helicopters, Aunt Dot; I'm okay.

Went to see/hear the Guitar Orchestra from Eutin, Germany. They left on their first tour of the United States on March 23rd and will be here until April 16. If they visit your city please give them my regards.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/mar/30/sister_citys_guitar_orchestra_eutin_pay...

the skinny:

They looked so serious bien serieux except Stefan in the back row next to Monja Schimmel. His face and body was animated while he played. Monja played her guitar as a percussive instrument using the back of the guitar and drumsticks with soft balls on the end. I'd never heard it played that way before.

There were a couple other pieces that used tapping the guitar as well (one reminded me of flamenco). The orchestra sat and did two pieces, including J.S. Bach's Orchestra Suite No. 3. They also played as duets and trios and as a partial ensemble at the end. I recognized "Ode to Joy" and "The River is Wide".

They played for perhaps 90 minutes in the Oread Bookstore, so it was quite intimate. I must say that when they were finished, it wasn't just Stefan who was smiling.

When I went looking for links to Eutin, I found someone who has a MySpace account there, so I emailed Christian. Of course, I had to open up a MySpace account too. When I figure it all out I'll give the link in this blog. I'm thinking I'll post some of my more 'popular' poetry there and blog about different things then here. Expect lots of overlap though! I also hope to provide links back to WDC. Anyone have ideas about this?

Daily Scripture

O SON OF THE SUPREME! I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?

— Bahá’u’lláh

from Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, Arabic #32, link: http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/HW/

WATT'S GNU!

Opening day of baseball? And the Cubbies already are 0-1. But my Orioles are ahead at the top of the 4th!

Tennesee meets Rutgers in the final of Women's collegiate basketball. Rutgers was awesome in shutting down L.S.U. Tennesee has gotten the gold ring before and wants it again.

IMAGES and RAMBLINGS

Monday: Bright sunshine, a trickle of water in the gutter; a white styrofoam cup red-stamped 'coke' rolling to the breeze; the heat; violets and vinca in Hillel's lawn.

2 blue-green robin eggs in the nest at the top of the post below the porch roof.

Sunday: Elm seeds; peony tulips; dogwoods first 'stretch'; kite; lilypads; 3 black dogs; the bells out of synch.

The weather has been warm. It'll be much colder tomorrow. Stormy?

A good weather link: http://www.wunderground.com

READING

B.H. Fairchild; Langston Hughes.

BLOGVILLE

I had some links to add, but that will have to wait; this entry needs posting.

Did anyone notice that I added two sigs to my front blog page and set all my merit badges on rotate. I change things slowly around here.

17,201 views

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 Kåre Enga
~ until everything was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow! And I let the fish go.
~ Elizabeth Bishop,
The Fish