Sunday 21 December 2008

Sarah Brightman - First of May






Happy Christmas!
I wish you a wonderful holiday &
all the best things for the New Year!


Monday 15 December 2008

Enya - How Can I Keep From Singing?

 Three Songs of Healing:

Bob Marley - Three Little Birds  
Prayer to Kwan Yin 

Enya - How Can I Keep From Singing

My life goes on in endless song
above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
that hails a new creation.

No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that rock I'm clinging
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can i keep from singing.

While though the tempest loudly roars,
I know the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
songs in the night it giveth.

Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear it's music ringing,
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble in their fear
and hear their death knell ringing,
when friends rejoice both far and near
how can I keep from singing?

In prison cell and dungeon vile
our thoughts to them are winging,
when friends by shame are undefiled
how can I keep from singing?

Friday 12 December 2008

The Disconsolate One (Gérard de Nerval)

I am the Darkness, — the Widowed, — the Scream,
The prince of Aquitaine, his Tower abolished:
My only Star is dead, — and my celestial lute
Bears the black Sun of Melancholy.

In the night of the Tomb, you who consoled me,
Bring me back Posilippo and the Italian sea,
The flower that so pleased my aching heart
And the trellis where the Vine and the Rose entwine.

Am I Love or Phoebus? … Lusignon or Biron?
My forehead is still red with the kiss of the Queen,
I dreamt in the Grotto where the Siren swims …

And twice a victor I crossed the Achéron stream
Modulating by turns on the lyre of Orpheus
The sighs of the Saint and the cries of the Fairy.


___________________________
This is my version of Gerard de Nerval’s “El Desdichado” (1854), translated from the French. The original may be found here.

And I just found another excellent page with lots of explanation and interpretation here.

Searching Google books, I found another translation in the Penguin of Nerval’s selected works by Richard Sieburth. I hadn’t seen this, but his translation is incredibly similar to mine!

Also, a further commentary here… http://everything2.com/title/El+Desdichado

Sunday 7 December 2008

Castles In the Sky


Set to time lapse photography by Rob George.

Do you ever question your life?
Do you ever wonder why?
Do you ever see in your dreams
All the castles in the sky?

Oh tell me why, do we build castles in the sky?
Oh tell me why, all the castles way up high?
Please tell me why, do we build castles in the sky?
Oh tell me why, all the castles way up high?