The Death of the Bird – A D Hope
For every bird there is this last migration:
Once more the cooling year kindles her heart;
With a warm passage to the summer station
Love pricks the course in lights across the chart.
Year after year a speck on the map, divided
By a whole hemisphere, summons her to come;
Season after season, sure and safely guided,
Going away she is also coming home.
And being home, memory becomes a passion
With which she feeds her brood and straws her nest,
Aware of ghosts that haunt the heart’s possession
And exiled love mourning within the breast.
The sands are green with a mirage of valleys;
The palm-tree casts a shadow not its own;
Down the long architrave of temple or palace
Blows a cool air from moorland scarps of stone.
And day by day the whisper of love grows stronger;
That delicate voice, more urgent with despair,
Custom and fear constraining her no longer,
Drives her at last on the waste leagues of air.
A vanishing speck in those inane dominions,
Single and frail, uncertain of her place,
Alone in the bright host of her companions,
Lost in the blue unfriendliness of space,
She feels it close now, the appointed season:
The invisible thread is broken as she flies;
Suddenly, without warning, without reason,
The guiding spark of instinct winks and dies.
Try as she will, the trackless world delivers
No way, the wilderness of light no sign,
The immense and complex map of hills and rivers
Mocks her small wisdom with its vast design.
And darkness rises from the eastern valleys,
And the winds buffet her with their hungry breath,
And the great earth, with neither grief nor malice,
Receives the tiny burden of her death.
Once upon a Time – Gabriel Okara
Once upon a time, son,
they used to laugh with their hearts
and laugh with their eyes:
but now they only laugh with their teeth,
while their ice-block-cold eyes
search behind my shadow.
There was a time indeed
they used to shake hands with their hearts:
but that’s gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.
‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’:
they say, and when I come
again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thrice-
for then I find doors shut on me.
So I have learned many things, son.
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresses – homeface,
officeface, streetface, hostface,
cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile.
And I have learned too
to laugh with only my teeth
and shake hands without my heart.
I have also learned to say,’Goodbye’,
when I mean ‘Good-riddance’:
to say ‘Glad to meet you’,
without being glad; and to say ‘It’s been
nice talking to you’, after being bored.
But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!
So show me, son,
how to laugh; show me how
I used to laugh and smile
once upon a time when I was like you.
Winter in Lower Canada - Standish O'Grady
Thou barren waste; unprofitable strand,
Where hemlocks brood on unproductive land,
Whose frozen air on one bleak winter's night
Can metamorphose dark brown hares to white!
Here forests crowd, unprofitable lumber,
O'er fruitless lands indefinite as number;
Where birds scarce light, and with the north winds veer
On wings of wind, and quickly disappear,
Here the rough Bear subsists his winter year,
And licks his paw and finds no better fare . . . .
One month we hear birds, shrill and loud and harsh,
The plaintive bittern sounding from the marsh;
The next we see the fleet-winged swallow,
The duck, the woodcock, and the ice-birds follow;
Then comes, drear clime, the lakes all stagnant grow,
And the wild wilderness is rapt in snow.
The lank Canadian eager trims his fire,
And all around their simpering stoves retire;
With fur clad friends their progenies abound,
And thus regale their buffaloes around;
Unlettered race, how few the number tells,
Their only pride a cariole and bells!
To mirth or mourning, thus by folly led,
To mix in pleasure or to chaunt the dead!
To seek the chapel prostrate to adore,
Or leave their fathers' coffins at the door!
Perchance they revel; still around they creep,
And talk, and smoke, and spit, and drink, and sleep!
...
With sanguine sash and eke with Indian's mogs,
Let Frenchmen feed on fricassees or frogs;
Brave Greenland winters, seven long months to freeze,
With naught of verdure save their Greenland trees;
Bright veiled amid the drap'ry of night,
In Ice-wrought tapestry of gorgeous white,
No matter here in this sad soil who delves;
Still leave their lower province to themselves.
Let patriots flourish, other deeds displace,
Let adverse men new politics embrace;
Yet come it will when wisdom may control,
And one sound policy conduct the whole.
To a Student - Kamal Wijratne:
I know why your eyes leap away
When they meet mine,
Why they quickly stray,
From their quiet contact.
I do know your ears are stopped
Against my voice.
The echoes of gun-shots have blocked
All extraneous sound,
Blasts of grenades have cracked
the drums,(You fear for brother, friend and lover.)
My eyes as they see yours
See torn pieces of human flesh,
Suspended from bushes andtrees;
Fragments of splintered bones,
Shreds of olive green;
The roads spewing human blood.
My ears echo burst of landmine.(I tremble for men of kindred blood.)
But why can’t your irises lock
with mine?Our ears stop all unkind sound?Let us shake off these brand names
And search for herb that heals,
And make a cooling poultice to cure
mass lunacy.
Leave behind those Illions
and Carthages to antique dealers,
Let us plan fresh methodology to stop
other Hiroshimas.
Loneliness – Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Someone is at the door again, my weeping heart, no, no one
Perhaps a passer-by, who will go somewhere else
The night has passed, waiting, the star-dust is settling
Sleepy candle-flames are flickering in distant palaces
Every pathway has passed into sleep, tired of waiting
Alien dust has smudged all traces of footsteps
Blow out the candles, let the wine and cup flow
Close and lock your sleepless doors
No one, no one will come here now.
TO THE CHILDREN AT BAL YOGA MITRA MANDAL, MUNGER
14-02-2004 : Munger
Dimensions of Creativity
I am delighted to interact with the children in this divine place. I greet the
organizers of this programme the Bal Yoga Mitra Mandal for arranging this
beautiful function.
Dear Children, you are all in the mission of learning. What learning will
give?
?When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms.
When the creativity blossoms, thinking emanates.
When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit.
When knowledge is lit, economy flourishes.?
In the dimensions of knowledge, we can see the scientific, technological
history coupled with human endeavours.
Creativity changes life pattern
What we have seen in science and technology in the last 60 years, the
predictions and happenings are going at different rates and phases. What
was impossible has happened and what is thought possible has not yet
happened and it will happen. Particularly in the field of aeronautics, space
technology, electronics, materials, computer science and software products,
the world has progressed to new dimensions and India itself is a part of
these challenges. Indian bio-technologists with business houses will have
opportunity of analyzing the available genomic data and lead to production
of drugs for healthcare and early treatment. The bioresearch transforming
into technology will lead to higher production of agricultural products. In
the coming decades, we may see the birth of unified field theory integrating
gravitational forces, electro magnetic forces and general relativity theory,
space and time as functions. Young people may also see in their time
establishment of habitat or industry in one of our planets or moon by human
race. The world may also enter into launch of solar power satellites through
reusable launch vehicle (hyper plane) system for electricity needs, as fossil
based fuel would become rare in fifty to hundred years. These are possible
only through creative minds.
On the successful completion of Moon Mission in 1961, Farnbraun, a very
famous rocket designer, who built Saturn-V, to launch the capsule with
astronauts and made moon walk a reality, in 1975 said ?If I am authorized, I
will remove the word impossible?.
In ancient days, Ptolemaic astronomy is a widely used system in calculating
the dynamics of various stars and planets. Assumption by then was that the
earth is flat. What a scientific struggle had to take place to prove that the
earth is spherical in shape orbiting around the sun. The three great
astronomers Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had to give a new dimension to
the world of astronomy. Today we take it granted that earth is a globe
orbiting around sun and the sun orbits in the Milky Way. All the
technological advancements we have today are the outcome of scientific
exploration of scientists of earlier centuries. At no time, man was beaten by
problems. He strives continuously to subjugate impossibility and then
succeeds.
Impossibility to possibility
Human flight is nothing but creativity of human mind and it undergoes
several struggles to achieve excellence. In 1890, a great well-known
scientist Lord Kelvin, who was the President of Royal Society of London
said, ?any thing heavier than air cannot fly, and cannot be flown.? With in
two decades Wright Brothers proved man could fly of course at heavy risk
and cost.
Creative Indians
In India many innovation and creative thinking took place at various phases
of our development. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in 1960?s said that India should
design and develop large satellite launch vehicle and put communication
satellite and remote sensing satellite in geo-synchronous orbit and polar
orbit respectively. In India this was thought impossible. But this vision
statement ignited hundreds of scientist, technologists and thousands of
technicians. Today India is capable of building any type of satellite launch
vehicles and satellites.
Similarly during 1960?s, I remember that India was in a ship to mouth
existence for food grains. If the American ships do not bring wheat, there
will be a famine in India. But there were two visionaries who worked
together with the farming community and brought the first green
revolution. They are the political thinker Shri. C. Subramaniam and the
Agriculture scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. Today we produce two hundred
million tonnes of food grains, which is not only sufficient for us but we can
also export some quantity. In 1980?s, India had a very low base in
Information Technology. Some young entrepreneurs with their innovative
and creative thoughts, within the difficult boundary conditions of India?s
rules and regulations, showed how IT enabled services can fetch export
revenue. Subsequently, even Govt. had to bring out innovative and
liberalized IT policies. Now, our young IT entrepreneurs are making export
revenue of 15 billion dollars. Similarly the Pharma industries are making a
positive impact in the India economy.
Till 1953, it was thought that it was impossible to reach the Mount Everest.
Hillary and Tenzing disproved this impossibility. Let us take Raman effect;
till Sir CV Raman found the molecular scattering, the people did not know
why the sea appears to be blue. Similarly, Chandrasekar Subramaniam,
discovered that many stars shine and few don?t, thereby he proved the ?
Chandrasekar Limit?, which enabled him to discover the Black Hole.
In India, in the 1960?s, none of us dreamt that the nuclear energy can lead
to electric power generation or nuclear medicine will be used for the
treatment of thyroid disorder and cancer cure. Homi Bhabha?s vision led to
the electric energy generated by nuclear power flowing into grid. By
another decade, it may generate more than 20,000 Mega watts of power.
Indomitable spirit
Let us study the characteristics of indomitable spirit. It has two
components. The first component is that there must be a Vision leading to
higher goals of achievement. I would like to recall a couplet from
Thirukkural by the Poet Saint Thiruvalluvar written 2500 years ago.
Quote:
It means that whatever may be the depth of the river or lake or pond,
whatever may be the condition of the water, the lilly flower always comes
out and blossoms. Similarly, if there is a definite determination to achieve a
goal even if it is impossible to achieve, the man succeeds.
Many of us have gone through large programmes and projects. We would
have experienced that success is not in sight and there are many hurdles.
The same poet reminds us at this point of time through another couplet:
We should never be defeated by any problems. We should become master of
the situation and defeat the problems. I consider these two Thirukkurals
characterize the indomitable spirit.
Conclusion
When a child is empowered by the parents at various phases of growth, the
child gets transformed into a responsible citizen. When a teacher is
empowered with knowledge and experience, good young human beings with
value systems emerge. When a leader of any institution empowers his or her
people, leaders are born who can change the nation in multiple areas. When
women are empowered, society with stability gets assured. When the
political leaders of the nation empower the people through visionary
policies, the prosperity of the nation is certain. There is a need to empower
the students to explore new avenues for making faster progress in the
development mission. When an individual or a team is empowered with
technology, transformation to higher potential for achievement is assured.
Friends, you are young and you represent nearly half the population of the
nation. Your creative mind is very powerful. Ignited mind is the most
powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth. Wish
you all the best. Now I would like to administer the TEN POINT OATH to
our children, are you ready?
Ten point oath for the youth of the nation
1. I will pursue my education or the work with dedication and I will excel in
it.
2. From now onwards, I will teach at least 10 persons to read and write
those who cannot read and write.
3. I will plant at least 10 saplings and shall ensure their growth through
constant care.
4. I will visit rural and urban areas and permanently wean away at least 5
persons from addiction and gambling.
5. I will constantly endeavor to remove the pain of my suffering brethren.
6. I will not support any religious, caste or language differentiation.
7. I will be honest and set an example for others to follow.
8. I will work for becoming an enlightened citizen and make my family
righteous.
9. I will always be a friend of the mentally and physically challenged and
will work hard to make them feel normal, like the rest of us.
10. I will proudly celebrate the success of my country and my people.
J. M. Coetzee
Banquet speech
J. M. Coetzee’s speech at the Nobel Banquet, 10 December 2003.
Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentlemen; Distinguished
Guests, Friends
The other day, suddenly, out of the blue, while we were talking about something
completely different, my partner Dorothy burst out as follows: “On the other hand,”
she said, “on the other hand, how proud your mother would have been! What a
pity she isn’t still alive! And your father too! How proud they would have been of
you!”
“Even prouder than of my son the doctor?” I said. “Even prouder than of my son the
professor?”
“Even prouder.”
“If my mother were still alive,” I said, “she would be ninety-nine and a half. She
would probably have senile dementia. She would not know what was going on around
her.”
But of course I missed the point. Dorothy was right. My mother would have been
bursting with pride. My son the Nobel Prize winner. And for whom, anyway,
do we do the things that lead to Nobel Prizes if not for our mothers?
“Mommy, Mommy, I won a prize!“
“That’s wonderful, my dear. Now eat your carrots before they get
cold.“
Why must our mothers be ninety-nine and long in the grave before we can come
running home with the prize that will make up for all the trouble we have been to
them?
To Alfred Nobel, 107 years in the grave, and to the Foundation that so faithfully
administers his will and that has created this magnificent evening for us, my heartfelt
gratitude. To my parents, how sorry I am that you cannot be here.
Thank you.
