To Estuye

There are days and there are also days;
Some days we get pretty elated
Crown-to-toe exhilarated
We whistle we hum
Reminisce, smile and drum

Such was my day today
As I mused over your birthday

Pictures I saw in my mind’s eye
Of a cute vibrant little girl
That leapt like gazelle
Cute she was and adorable
Chatty but affable
I do remember her first bike ride
Michael Jackson moves and ballet triad
Oh! The combat missions, how could I forget?
To avenge for little brother who often had to fight

Those days I fondly remember
And whenever I think of my daughter
Right now, many years later
The image that comes to mind
Is of a little girl with ornamented braid
Funny! How that default image prevailed

Now look at you, fully blossomed
Mature, thoughtful and well groomed
Great human being with kind heart
Values to keep close and tight

Mighty blessed to have a daughter like you!
Wishing you happiness, good health and success
Happy Birthday Yene lij!

December 13, 2011

To Shime!

On your sixty-some I put you on the scale
For it’s an idle Sunday what the hell!
Scan, I did your earthly and the sky
The good, the not-so did I pry
Character unto yourself without a doubt
With cherished values sometimes too upright
Thou delveth and diggeth with nosiness insatiable
Whether about the scelestial or the bible
You marvell at character Athnateus
And every other name in the universe

Marvel Shime till books do wear
Marvel till cells droop and backs tear
Keep querying with zest my friend
About the split tounged Star
Its spell and mystical power.

Happy birthday!

On Classical Music & Opera

Shime,

I have to come out of the closet! (c'mon not the kind that jumped to your mind). Here and now I declare I am no material for Puccini, Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Beethoven and their likes. What do I have in common with these ancient creatures who cast their most wicked spell since the 1700 and continue to do so to a fast shrinking fan base? You can't say I didn't try to appreciate classical music since forty-plus years is no cheap-change to learn something.

You want to talk about Opera too? OK, lets talk about Opera. Here also I'll be straight with you - I am no great fan of this thing called Opera for good reason. What language do they speak? Probably Italian, German, Latin or something else. When was the last time you saw me speaking in those tongues? Now don't hasten to accuse me for not having tried to understand Opera either. I invested countless hours listening to opera renditions at home, in the car, during flights and everywhere else, always being hard on myself for missing something others seemingly have. I even had the unthinkable opportunity of getting an Orchestra Seat for the opening night of "Turnedo" at the great La-Scala in Milano, courtesy of the President of Milano's Chamber of commerce, whom I visited with a delegation of Addis Chamber members the previous day. By the way, Princess Diana and hubby were in the house for their first visit to Milano shortly after their marriage. I remember the initial exhubdrance sorrounding their visit. I also remember how the whole of Italy felt insulted that night when D showed up at La-Scala, in Milano, the fashion capital of the world, wearing pink dress by a certain British designer. No other living Habesha could claim giving Opera a chance at this level. After all the hoopla that night,I had no clue what Tornado was all about and felt guilty for wasting my time and a scarce ticket. Musicals? ehh..

What triggered this outpouring of confession is a golf outing last week with Kefe and an encounter yesterday with a "classical music lover" who happens to be my next door office mate.

Golf, as you know is a hallowed manly ground where you talk and laugh to your heart's delight, preferably with cigar and beer in hand. You leave your worries behind, shed your guard and even talk dirty if that is what you want to do. That day, the dude, do you believe it, started to play Puccini on a Pandora station - on the golf course! That, my friend, was the last straw! I promised myself I will not live a life of pretension duping people that I dig classical music and opera. If I have to do it at the risk of ruining my reputation as an affluent individual and being removed from the wills of Kefe and Ab,so be it.

There you have it, I feel relieved. Now play me Astuye's "Checheho", a Marvin Gay, a Sam Cook ... and you are my friend.

Cheers!

ሰለሄ መለሄ!

ለነቃ ጉሮሮ ለተቀየመ አንጀት
ለጦዘ ጭንቅላት ለደከመው ጉልበት
መድሀኒቱ አንተ ነህ ሰለሄ መለሄ
ውረድ በላንቃዬ ግባ ተለህለሄ
(ኩችዬe2004)

ሥጋ የበላ ሰው!

ሰላጣ ቲማቲም ሴለሪ ካሮት
አልፋ-አልፋ ዚኩኒ የዲንች ማ’ት
ባቄላና ጎመን ደሞም ሲሪያል
ጉዳይ አይፈጥሙም የሙዳ ያህል!
ሰላጣ የበላ ሰላጣ ሊመስል
ሥጋ የበላ ሰው ወዘናው ሊያምር
የተነገረ ነው ከጥንትም ከስር
(ኩችዬe2004)