January 20, 2005

• Faraway: A Presentation Poetry Piece

  

  One of the saddest things about making "internet connections" is that for some reason, each internet connection turns into an internet disconnection after a time, for whatever reason. Some people actually meet, fall in love, and get married after "meeting" on the internet, but I have lost so many people, even though my email address seldom changes, and a search for my name, which is my "real" name, will always turn up a link or two to AllThingsMike, my personal website. Of all the people I have "met" and "lost", one has always stood out for me, and that is Julia, who came from the African country of Tanzania. She "found" me through one of my internet "lovesearches" back in 2001, and we corresponded for about six months. In that time, we exchanged photos, and I wrote her poetry. She was poor, and did not have a computer, but worked in the offices of a diamond mine, and used their computer for her correspondence. I was thinking about her yesterday at length for some reason. Her last correspondence to me, back in 2001, was that her supervisor had attempted to rape her, and I would surmise she left her employment in the diamond mine after that incident, and lost her computer access. I never heard from her again. The photos on this post were taken by Julia in Tanzania, which is where Mt. Kilamanjaro and the Serengeti plain is located. Believe it or not, I have dreamed of this area, and believe I have been there in another life. The area is where it is widely accepted that mankind began his journey on the Earth. Below the first photo is the poem, "Faraway", I wrote for Julia in 2001, and below the photo of the lions is the translation to Swahili, which was Julia's native language in her country. Here's to you, my sweet Julia, wherever you are, and whatever you're doing. I think of you often. 

  

  Faraway

  poetry by Michael F. Nyiri

  7/1/01

  4:55 am

   

  Is love near to my heart or is love faraway?

  Nestled within the harbor of my soul

  Or simply around the world at play.

  Can feelings be near

  Or must they be faraway?

   

  The answers aren't in the sky

  Nor in the earth, nor in the chirping cry

  Of the birds outside, singing in their tree

  Is love heard on the wind?

  I won't ask why.

   

  I think of emotions

  No one can fill every soul

  I think of a smiling face for me

  I see a rich valley, and hear wonderful sounds

  And the emotion fills

  Round and round and round.

   

  The animals live in my sight and my mind

  The view from the eyes of my soul

  Retreats into the distance

  But a few words bring me close

  And is love faraway calling me?

   

  

  MBALI SANA

   

   

  Je mapenzi yako karibu na moyo wangu au mapenzi yako mbali?

  yamenaswa yametulizwa katika baandani ya roho yangu.

  Au kuzunguka dunia kama mchezo

  Hisia inaweza zikawa karibu

  Au lazima ziwe mbali sana?

   

  Majibu hayako kwenye mawingu

  Au duniani , au kwenye mlio wa ndege nje

  wakiimba kwenye miti yao

  je mapenzi yanasikika kwenye upepo?

  sitajauliza ni kwanini.

   

  Nina fikiria hisia kali.

  Hakuna anayeweza roho zote.

  Ninafikiria  tabasamu ya uso kwa ajili yangu.

  Naona bonde la utajiri na sauti nzuri

  Na hisia zinajaa.

  Kuzunguka na kuzunguka na kuzunguka

   

  Wanyama manakaa kwenye eneo langu na akili yangu.

  mtazamo kutoka kwenye macho ya roho yangu

  inatoweka taratibu kwa mbali

  lakini maneno machache yananileta karibu

  na je mapenzi kwa mbali yananiita?

  ---

   

  GLOSSARY:
  SHAHIRI-poem  MBALI SANA-Faraway NAAZA -i begin MAPENZI-love
  MOYO WANGU- My heart YAMENASWA- nestled BANDAANI- harbour
  KUZUNGUKA- round and round  DUNIA- World MCHEZO - play
  HISIA - feelings KARIBU- Near LAZIMA - must MAJIBU-Answers
  MAWINGU-sky NJE - outside NDENGE- birds
  WAKIIMBA- singing MITI- trees KUSIKIKA- Heard
  UPEPO- Winds KWANINI- why FIKIRIA- think
  ROHO-soul TABASAMU-smile USO - Face
  NAONA - i can see BONDE- Valley
  UTAJIRI- richness (TAJIRI- Rich) WANYAMA- Animals
  WANAISHI-live MTAZAMO- View MACHO- eyes
  LAKINI- but MANENO: words.

  • 8:36 am
  • 6 Comments