Claire de Lune by Paul Verlaine

 Happy 2013, I wish you all moonlight dreamers a beautiful new year! Well, 2010 was health wise challenging. The end of 2011 was apocalyptic. I did spend 2012 holding my breath afraid of what might happen next. Well...life happened like  always... when you planned something else!! So Hello 2013, I am finally ready to inhale life and exhale my fears.
Take this poem of Paul Verlaine as a gift for this new year together!!!

                        Claire De Lune


Your soul is as a moonlit landscape fair,
   Peopled with maskers delicate and dim,
That play on lutes and dance and have an air
   Of being sad in their fantastic trim.

The while they celebrate in minor strain
   Triumphant love, effective enterprise,
They have an air of knowing all is vain,—
   And through the quiet moonlight their songs rise,

The melancholy moonlight, sweet and lone,
   That makes to dream the birds upon the tree,
And in their polished basins of white stone
   The fountains tall to sob with ecstasy.

translation by Gertrude Hall

                            Original French

 Votre âme est un paysage choisi
Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques
Jouant du luth et dansant et quasi
Tristes sous leurs déguisements fantasques.

Tout en chantant sur le mode mineur
L'amour vainqueur et la vie opportune
Ils n'ont pas l'air de croire à leur bonheur
Et leur chanson se mêle au clair de lune,

Au calme clair de lune triste et beau,
Qui fait rêver les oiseaux dans les arbres
Et sangloter d'extase les jets d'eau,
Les grands jets d'eau sveltes parmi les marbres

I should translate the poem myself just to adjust the flow. Verlaine has a musical flow that perfectly describes what you feel but cannot express when confused. In my opinion  this poem is about  simply surrendering to hope.

Same moonlight for our dreams...

The Interrupters by Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz Documentary

Watch The Interrupters (Graphic Language) on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

"The film’s main subjects work for an innovative organization, CeaseFire. It was founded by an epidemiologist, Gary Slutkin, who believes that the spread of violence mimics the spread of infectious diseases, and so the treatment should be similar: go after the most infected, and stop the infection at its source. One of the cornerstones of the organization is the “Violence Interrupters” program, created by Tio Hardiman, who heads the program. The Interrupters — who have credibility on the streets because of their own personal histories — intervene in conflicts before they explode into violence." from here

I watched Interrupters on Frontline last night. It is the best documentary I have seen in a long time. I believe that many  American documentaries are  sometimes too Hollywoodish. In  Interrupters, Steve James did it perfectly. It is real, raw, and for real. It is the story of many real people. To be honest, I did cry a lot because the film touched deep down in my story, in my fears, pains and tribulations. Yes, I am not from Chicago but I grew up in some impoverish neighborhoods or  "ghettos or  Cités ". Places where people fight everyday to stay alive inside. Where dreams are curses that alienate your soul. Where people are for real too. When my baby brother died the entire neighborhood, all his friends were present to support our family. They were family, there is beauty, kindness and love in "those" neighborhoods.... The sad part is that violence  is only a tiny fraction of the pain and suffering experienced. This documentary was able to show that violence is just a symptom. 
 The funny thing is that the first time I came to America, I landed to Chicago. I was amazed by everything. It was in summer everything was new and fun. All I cared was about cheap shopping and improving my English.  The second time, it was winter we stayed in a black neighborhood. Well, it was hardcore cold and cold. I could see how difficult it was to live there. But I felt comfortable, it is weird how when you from "those neighborhoods"  any of them feel reassuring in a weird way... Of course , I am happy that our son is not growing up in one and goes to a good school.  However, I frankly hope he gets some of that realness we got from where we from... Thank you to Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz for Interrupters.

Same Moonlight for Our Dreams...

"David Nkunzumwami est mort tragiquement en France, le Burundi a perdu un vrai patriote"by Gratien Rukindikiza

I would like to thank Gratien Rukindikiza for this touching article about my brother. Thank you!!!

DAVID NKUNZUMWAMI EST MORT TRAGIQUEMENT EN FRANCE, LE BURUNDI A PERDU UN VRAI PATRIOTE

Par Gratien Rukindikiza

 Burundi news, le 29/12/2011

Il y a des citoyens qui ont des qualités humaines, intellectuelles et patriotiques que les autres peuvent ignorer. Les plus valeureux ne sont pas ceux qui sont connus.

Il y a des morts qui emportent l'espoir et qui privent un pays d'un futur chef, capable de relever un pays. Ce sont des héros que nous ignorons et qui ignoraient même leur capacité de leur vivant.

Un jeune diplômé d'une grande école de commerce mort tragiquement, quelle  perte!

Le jeune David Nkunzumwami né le 21 novembre 1987 est mort le 10 décembre 2011 à Saint Denis, dans la région parisienne. Une douleur pour sa famille, ses amis et tous ceux qui le connaissaient. Une douleur pour le Burundi.

Qu'avait-il de plus pour mériter une telle place?

Personnellement, j'avais discuté plusieurs fois avec David. Je me suis toujours posé  la question sur son niveau intellectuel, politique et patriotique. Un garçon capable de formuler ses idées, d'avancer des solutions innovantes pour la question burundaise, d'avoir une vision apaisée sur la situation burundaise au point de captiver mon attention et mon admiration, je ne les rencontre pas souvent. Discuter de la politique avec David était une façon de se ressourcer comme jadis, quand nous fréquentions des cercles de discussions politiques dans les années 80.

A travers David, un espoir naissait. J'avais cru en lui, ce jeune nouvellement diplômé était le futur sauveur du Burundi, le futur pour incarner le futur, la réconciliation des Burundais. J'avais dit à un ami que j'ai rencontré un futur Rwagasore ou Ngendandumwe.

La mort a pris le dessus sur l'espoir. Le bon Dieu a emporté le sien sans laisser cette chance au Burundi qui a besoin des David.

En allant à son enterrement, j'ai accompagné le David, un homme physique mort. J'ai aussi accompagné l'espoir  au cimetière, le grand patriote. La douleur était double; double car il s'agissait de la mort d'une personne mais aussi parce que cette mort emportait un espoir. Physiquement, nous sommes des mortels et nous avons une petite place. De son vivant, l'homme incarne des idées qui font sa valeur. Le corps physique meurt mais les idées restent et la grandeur de l'homme reste vivante, incarnée par ses idées. David est mort mais ses idées restent vivantes à travers ses amis, ceux qui l'ont côtoyé. Espérons que le Burundi aura plusieurs David qui sauveront son peuple.

Que David se repose en paix.

Foundation of the week:Cultures of Resistance

Cultures of Resistance:  The Official Trailer from Cultures of Resistance on Vimeo.


I stumbled on this amazing documentary by filmmaker and activist Iara Lee working with Cultures of Resistance.
Just watch the preview!!! I am buying the DVD!

CULTURES OF RESISTANCE is a project, a campaign, a mission, and a living, breathing, growing network. Our collective of activists, agitators, artists, and dreamers is primarily focused on issues of peace and justice in the global south, and we are especially interested in supporting organizations and activists around the world who are working toward international solidarity and social justice.
Worldwide, people from all walks of life are finding creative ways to oppose war and promote peace, justice, and sustainability. Culture, including film, music and food, is fertile terrain for this struggle. Education that nourishes a critical mind and fortifies the soul is just as essential. CULTURES OF RESISTANCE was established to identify and support international and diverse initiatives that embody these values, and to fortify an international network of activists and agitators, educators and artists, insurgent musicians, guerilla filmmakers, vanguard gardeners and gourmands.

Blitz The Ambassador "Best I Can" ft. Corneille

Hello to you all!!
Here is a beautiful video from Blitz The Ambassador, I  found this on Kalae All Day's Blog.
I love the story behind, one story among many but so close to us... 
Peace...
Same Moonlight for Our Dreams

Erykah Badu - Time's a Wastin

This song is for all my brothers with all my love!!!
Same Moonlight for our Dreams

Quote from August Wilson

I just love this quote!!!

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.”

 August Wilson quotes (American Writer, 1945-2005)

Reason by Nas feat Emily

By now you all know, that I am a fan of Nas!!!
Let's not forget that "Love without reason lasts the longest! Jean-Francois Regnard"

In love with you by Eryka Badu feat Stephen Marley

I am love with this song!!!
Thank you for the 121 countries visitors!!
Same Moonlight for Our Dreams! 
Peace and love to you all....

Dr Augustus White on Tavis Smiley about "Seeing Patients: Unconscious Bias in Health Care"

Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley are the few shows, I stay up for. Last week, I stayed up late enough to watch the interview on Dr. Augustus White by Tavis Smiley. It was about Health-care, race, and health disparities in USA.  In his memoir,"Seeing Patients: Unconscious Bias in Health Care"; Dr. White addresses the issue of cultural awareness in medicine. He talk about all biases, not just race.  He believes that we need to address our own cultural biases to be more compassionate.  His argument reminds me of my father.  He did teach us that in term of health we are our best advocate.  At a very young age, we went to some doctor consultations alone because he wanted us to be responsible of our health.  Dr White emphasizes that patients  must be trained about cultural disparities as well as health-care disparities.  Dr White also talked about how he became a doctor coming from segregated South. It is delicate issue that is still current for many among us due to Socio-economics segregation. In my opinion, the message  is about  awareness of our flaws and prejudices.

Thank you Dr. Augustus  White and Tavis Smiley!

Watch the full episode. See more Tavis Smiley.

N'Deye Mélissa-Singer& Songwriter

It is with great pleasure and pride that I would like to introduce my favorite soul singer.She is my sister!!! She is pure soul!!
N'Deye Mélissa ! 
She is my shinning  star in my moonlight...
She is making her dreams come true...
Enjoy...N'Deye Mélissa

My extreme super moon was despicable me

This past week, I was busy navigating my constellation.I was super excited by the Perigee, Extreme Super moon.  On that famous day, I did miss it when it was at the horizon, then it was too cold. I could not chase a super moonlight in a freezing  rain. I could not brave the weather. I totally missed it. However, I was confident that such “extreme super moon” will bring me some kind of luck, revelation, something fabulous and positive.

Well, the following Sunday afternoon, I lost my wallet while bike riding home from the grocery store!!! Once I realized it, I when back to look and ask around. Nothing, it was lost!! The happy bliss was instantly replaced by extreme frustration with an aftertaste of “ super curse”. I never lost my wallet. I lost a lot of stuff but not my wallet! To be honest, I was a mess, no more moonlighting, relativism, Zen or balance. I was devastated because deep down I needed something extremely good to happen. I felt guilty, exposed and vulnerable. All those swirl of emotions over a lost wallet.The relativist in me became an absolutist:  Yes, extremely convinced of my bad luck or my “not so” lucky curse. I wondered what I have done, or not doing in this life to deserve some of my  problems. I did not see the lesson to be learned for my misadventure. I complained, then whined, cried and complained some more.  

Guess who called me at 1:30 am her time. My mother, she could not sleep and had the urge to call me!!! Yes, I got to get out my misery, to my mommy…  I felt better,she just brought back the relativist within  to life by reminding me that nobody was hurt. My family was healthy. I had no reason to give up hope because one extra bad thing happened.  She reminded me that I was healthy, loved, and blessed. It was and is true. My dream team came to rescue with an “extreme comfort dinner” involving a lot of carbs, meat, spiciness, cream, cheeses, chocolate, and ice cream. All that combined with a cartoon chosen by my padawan, Despicable Me.

And you know what; I was high on sugar, carbs, laughter and love. I ended up dancing on Pharell Williams Despicable Me theme song. By the way my padawan is definitively a Jedi apprentice in training. He knew that the movie and song would cheer me up. Thank you again to my dream team…

By Monday morning, I was Zen and calm. I counted my blessings while indulging on Nutella by the spoon because I really deserved it!!!  Life was good again, my lost wallet was a way to remind me that I was blessed. It was a sign that I should shut up and enjoy the flow of my constellation.

By Monday afternoon, an employee from a coffee shop on my route called me and said that someone return my wallet!!! (Out of despair I left my phone number and my name to all businesses on my route hoping that maybe…) This was the extreme super moon effect, I was expecting. I could not believe it!! I rushed over, it was my wallet, minus  60 dollars but everything was there. Yes! I have my wallet back.  Thanks God! Thank you to my dream team! Thank you to my extreme super moon.

FYI: I promised  to not complain for two weeks…:)

Peace

Speech Debelle - Live and Learn

A sweet melody, great lyrics for this British rapper.
Thank you to  Corynne Elliot aka Speech Debelle for your poetry.!!!

The Drowned Book: Ecstatic and Earthy Reflections of Bahauddin, the Father of Rumi

I bought this book to learn more about  Sufi and Rumi. I never took the time to read it. My friend is reading it  and he recommended me to start reading it.  It seems easy to read. Besides, I do love poetry. However, it seems that I am not ready for more reflections at this time, so I am postponing my reading. I did flip through the commentary at the end of the book, to stop on a page 140 quoting a love poem from Etheridge Knight. Whom I did not know before!!! 

"Belly Song" by Etheridge Knight in The Essential Etheridge Knight

and I and I/must admit

that the sea in me

has fallen/ in love

with the sea in you

"Although a popular Islamic mystic who remains important to many Sufi sects, Bahauddin is known to the West primarily as the father of the thirteenth-century poet Rumi, interest in whose work has been revived by Coleman Barks' translations. Reminiscent of Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book, Bahauddin's writing in The Drowned Book is a miscellany that shows Bahauddin jumping from gardening tips to meditations on Qur'anic verses to quasi-erotic explorations of the Sufi's efforts to find unity with God. Readers unfamiliar with Islamic history and Sufi practice will wish the translators had included more explanatory commentary, but the translation itself is engaging and colloquial. The bits of Bahauddin's poetry included (e.g., "Why say autumn is the end of loving? / For us there will be another spring") are a far cry from Rumi's, but Bahauddin's prose reflects the mystical core of Sufi faith and constitutes an excellent example of nonpoetic Sufi writing. Readers interested in the Sufism behind Rumi's poems will find much to enjoy here. 

Teri MOISE : Je serai là

Here Terri Moise again signing "Je serai là".
To my little "beast" with all my love.
Forever and never, no matter what!

Teri MOISE : Je serai là - MYTARATATA.COM
TARATATA N°162 (Tour. 12/03/97 - Dif. 01/05/97)
   
   

        Video de mytaratata   

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters is simply wonderful. We did read it this week end.  It is beyond politics. And it is about the real meaning of politics, children. The book sends a message of hope and unity. In my opinion, it celebrates multiculturalism and multilingualism. On which I talk about in a previous post.  

It captures the diversity of America to inspire all children to be themselves. I love the illustrations; it conveys a sense of optimism and awareness while preserving the insouciance of childhood.  It was written before his presidency and all profits go to charity for the children of disabled veterans. Again when Obama won, I won something priceless. Our son was proud to be him, in his multicultural complexity in this global community. This book is a great educational tool, and sends the message of “same moonlight for our dreams”.

Thank you to Barack Obama and Loren long

 

“La canción del bongó-Song of the Bongo Drum” by Nicolás Guillén

From a really interesting paper by Monika Kaup :"Our America" That Is Not One: Transnational Black Atlantic Disclosures in Nicolás Guillén and Langston Hughes.

La canción del bongó-Song of the Bongo Drum”, from Sóngoro consongo by  Nicolás Guillén

Esta es la canci´on del bong´o:
–Aqu´ı el que m´as fino sea,
responde, si llamo yo.
Unos dicen: Ahora mismo,
otros dicen: All´a voy.
Pero mi repique bronco,
pero mi profunda voz,
convoca al negro y al blanco,
que bailen el mismo son,
cueripardos y almiprietos
m´as de sangre que de sol,
pues quien por fuera no es noche,
por dentro ya oscureci´o.
Aqu´ı el que m´as fino sea,
responde, si llamo yo.
(Obra po´etica 104)

This is the song of the bong´o:
Here even blueblood
answers if I call.
Some answer, “Right now!”
Others say, “On my way!”
But my hoarse rejoinder,
deep bass voice,
calls both black and white
to dance the same son.
Brown of skin or brown of soul
more from blood than sun,
those who are not night outside
get darker deep within.
Here even blueblood
answers if I call.
(trans. Hughes and Carruthers, Cuba Libre 81)

Same Moonlight for our Dreams

Book of the week: The Alchemist: A graphic Novel

Being in my graphic novel therapy, I am searching  the web for my next read. And here, I found  it, The Alchemist; A graphic Novel! I am ordering this one!! It will be a new project for my favorite second grader as well as a perfect educating tool. This a perfect addition to the original version and accessible to new dreamers.
Same Moonlight  for our Dreams

Pride of Baghdad written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon

I finished this graphic novel this weekend. It is a great fictional story based on a true story of four African lions that escaped from the Baghdad Zoo after an American bombing in 2003. It is a captivating allegory on freedom, humanity, community and survival. The illustration is the soul of this masterpiece!  Seriously, the illustrations are breathtaking. The plot is good: Baghdad in decline during the American invasion and four African lions in quest of freedom. The plot starts slowly  then it goes into a mind blowing "fictional dystopia allegory"  like  the animal farm of Orwell. That is why I love the story. According to Wikipedia, a dystopian society is also often characterized by mass poverty and brutal political controls such as a large military-like police. I like how fiction challenge our critical thinking.  Pride of Baghdad is an allegory on domesticated wild animals escaping a zoo in an urban jungle at war. Fighters or hunters, captives or servants, we are all starving for freedom.  One of the character says  "There's an old saying, Zill. Freedom can't be given, only earned".
 Thank you to K.Vaughan and Niko Henrichon for this masterpiece.
A must read, specially in our current revolutionary climate....
Same Moonlight for our Dreams

One Mic by Nas

One of my favorite of Nas.  A perfect balance of flow, poetry,melody and wisdom whispers. This song  talks to the ghetto child within...
" We need more warriors soon Sip from the star Sun and the Moon...Diamonds are blinding, I never make the same mistakes Moving with a change of pace, lighter load, see now the king is straight."

Check out: Potholes in my blog for an amazing Nas mixtape of remixes  titled “No Idea’s Original”.
"No idea's original, there's nothing new under the sun
It's never what you do, but how it's done"
 Enjoy!!!