If the Day is Done..

I’m currently singing this song for choir. The arrangement was composed and arranged by Vystautas Miskinis. (I apologize if I spelt that wrongly. Someone help me please).

The song was based on Rabindranath Tagore’s poem from “Gitanjali”.

The poem is very beautiful so I thought I would share this little literary gem to brighten up your day.
(translated poem found in School of Wisdom. Find more poems in “Gitanjali” in that link.)

If the day is done,

if birds sing no more,

if the wind has flagged tired,

then draw the veil of darkness thick upon me,

even as thou hast wrapt the earth with the coverlet of sleep

and tenderly closed the petals of the drooping lotus at dusk.

From the traveler,

whose sack of provisions is empty before the voyage is ended,

whose garment is torn and dust-laden,

whose strength is exhausted,

remove shame and poverty,

and renew his life like a flower under the cover of thy kindly night.

I hope my choir will learn this fast and I’ll be able to share our performance with you. It’s a very beautiful song

Why Why

I hear the “Why, why” ringing.
Oh, Why
Why are you still here, oh Why?

Why, Why, why am I still asking?
When I know it’s all because of me
Too coward to continue
Too afraid to listen
Refusing to know the truth

So, why, Why, why are you still here?
Floating around, singing “Why, why, why”
Along with the what-ifs
Along with the memories
Memories of crushed hopes and sleepless nights
Memories of tears and swallowed pain
Pain, Pain, why did you come with Why?
Tears, Tears, why are you still rolling down?

Tell me why, Why, why can’t I let go?
Why, Why, why can’t I stop?

Oh, Why
You have stayed in my mind for so long
Now why, Why, why can’t you just go?

I hear the why why ringing
Hi, Why
I wish I can say bye to you soon…

Stop all the clocks..

Poems and any kind of literature are my first love.

Here’s one English poem I found. (I usually read Indonesian poems, with super rich vocabulary and grammar-breaking form)

Titled “Funeral Blues”, it’s more well-known as “Stop All the Clocks” due to its first line. It was written by W. H. Auden.

You can listen to my reading by clicking play below (flash player needed) while reading the text of the poem.
Enjoy..

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Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

My first time ever reciting a poem in English (really!). It’s exciting. Hahaha.

In case you don’t like my rendition, here’s a popular version, read by John Hannah at the film “Four Weddings and a Funeral”

Sunset

The sun will soon set
yet don’t fret
Since we’re together
with all the love we can gather

I’ve never made a poem in English before.
This one was scribbled on my boyfriend’s course handout =P

Untukmu

Aku lihatmu
Ada
Kau ada
Di sini kau ada
Tamparku, buatku sadar
Ingatkanku dengan dulu
Impianku…. yang dulu
Akankah dulu itu jadi nanti
Akankah kau jadi nantiku
Ingin simpanmu
Kau kan pergi
Ada gunanyakah kusimpan?