Sometimes

Sometimes
I need the rain.

The cooling shower
to stop me from wilting.
The downpour and thunderstorm
to clear the air.
Or just the cloudy parasol
shading me from the intense heat.

Yet

Sometimes
I need the sun.

The clear blue heavens
encouraging to grow.
The bright light
to awake and flower.
The warming sky-fire
then I can ripen.

But to bear fruit
Sometimes
I need both

by Ian August 2011

art by 5-year-old Mari Lee

And they Sung...

70,000 Estonians watched The Song for Freedom event in Tallinn. This is just a quick article to point you to a couple of news articles here and there.

The first article has a great link to a video of the coverage from Estonian TV! So you can watch the performances from the different bands. One being Brainstorm who I had seen live in Tallinn 2 years ago and are very good. They are from the fellow Baltic State.... Latvia!


Anyway there is a variety of music to watch and listen to at this link!
And this link from later on in the day!

The Song of Freedom

"The Estonian people are celebrating two important events this year – 20 years has passed from the 20th of August when Estonia re-gained its independence and the capital of Estonia, Tallinn is proud to be the European Capital of Culture in 2011"

And to celebrate is of course some singing! Many Estonian singers will be performing (more details here) but also including a 20 year delayed performance by Sinead O'Connor.

Also the day after is Iceland Day in Tallinn. This includes performances from Icelandic bands. More details available here.

You can also read my poetry on this blog from my trip to Iceland here.
Of course there poems about Estonia on here but I will let you look for them :) but here is a link to a little talk I did on Identity including Gustav Suits

2nd Anniversary

Ian thought it would be fitting to have an Estonian Poem on the 1st Anniversary Post.
I thought it would be fitting to have the non-poetic word-by-word translation of the 1st Anniversary Post poem here.

Korallid Emajõel
- Corals on Emajõgi

Betti Alver

Ikka meenuvad minutid
- still remember the minutes
millal
- when
viras vikerkaar
- the rainbow
üle vee.
- over the water

Me seisime raudsel sillal.
- We stood on the iron bridge
Sinu ees oli
- In front of you there was
raudne tee.
- the iron road.

Aeg raputas aardeid mu ette.
- Time shaked the treasures in front of me.
sinu ees oli
- in front of you there was
raudne tee.
- the iron road

Raudsillal
- On the iron bridge
viskasin vette
- I threw into the water
ma punakorallidest
kee.
- a necklace made of red corals.

Kõik mu aegade aarded on hallid.
- All the treasures of my times are grey
Jumet
- There is no complexion
pole ka jumalatõel.
- on the Truth of God either.

Veepõhjast
- From the bottom of the water
vaid punakorallid
- only the red corals
vahel vilavad
- sometimes shimer
Emajõel.
- on Emajõgi.

__
poem by Betti Alver, found by Ian, translation here by Katrin
art by 5-year-old Mari Lee - the coral fish