I have always loved these blessings and proverbs of the Native Americans. I find them to be calming, wise, and imbued with a sacred sense of all men as brothers and sisters on the same earth - qualities that seem quite lacking now in today's polarised society. I particularly like this blessing:
Cherokee Travelers' Blessing I
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
I will extract the thorns from your feet.
Yet a little longer we will walk life's sunlit paths together.
I will love you like my own brother, my own blood.
When you are disconsolate, I will wipe the tears from your eyes.
And when you are too sad to live, I will put your aching heart to rest.
Thanks for posting this, Michael. I found it deeply interesting.
I read Dee Brown's book "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" when I was around 20, and it had a profound impact on me. It contained some wonderful translations recorded in the 19th century, and it tells a detailed and dreadful account of the invasion, destruction and genocide. (I accept more recent critiques which point out that it ignores the persistence and ongoing development of First Nations cultures, but I don't think that's a weakness of the book. I think it's a valid argument for a "Volume 2" which needs to be written by someone. Probably by now there are accounts which do just that).
The book made me reflect on the very limited - and highly sanitised - version of colonial/invasion history in my own country, and it made me look more deeply at that history, and at Australian Aboriginal/First Nation peoples and cultures. Which led me - a few years later - to relocate to the NT (Northern Territory) and end up working for many years in and with Aboriginal communities across remote areas of the centre and North. In fact, I lived for 3 years in a desert community of Warlpiri people, some of whom had - as children - survived Australia's equivalent of the Wounded Knee massacre; the Coniston atrocity of 1928. (If you are interested - my poem "Junga Yimi" tells of this. https://davidkirkby.substack.com/p/junga-yimi-true-story?r=471m47
So yes - your translations are fascinating, and I liked your own poetry too. Some of them are very beautiful. I particularly like: "The soul would see no Rainbows if not for the eyes’ tears."
Those Mayan boys sound like they had a one track mind. I'd love to know what poems and proverbs the women created. In this country, too, translations and cultural studies have tended to focus almost exclusively on men - with women's ceremonial knowledge and role and statements largely invisible until the 1980's, and still under represented.
I can sympathize with the Mayan boys, remembering puberty!
It sounds like we share a common interest in human rights and equality, because I became an editor, publisher and translator of Holocaust poetry around 30 years ago. I worked with aging Holocaust survivors to translate Jewish Holocaust poems from Polish and Yiddish into English. In some cases the names of the poets were lost and only the poems survived.
After the last of my associates died, I continued the work alone.
You can see Holocaust poems I've written and translated here:
I wrote a poem "We Come Together," that was set to music by the marvelously talented New Zealand composer David Hamilton, about moving beyond the racism that led to the horrors inflicted on the original inhabitants of New Zealand. It was performed by the Pakuranga Choral Society.
The response was good enough for a sequel, "“We Come Together, Holding Hands.”
Nine poems I wrote became the lyrics of "The Children of Gaza," set to music by the composer Eduard de Boer. Ed like the operatic version so much that he recently came out with an orchestral version as well.
I became the author of a peace plan for Israel/Palestine as well. So far there have been plenty of compliments by other peace activists, but so far no implementations. It's call the Burch-Elberry Peace Initiative and the Fair Courts Resolution.
Well - that is fascinating. I have been dipping into the links you sent me, and also having a slightly wider look at The HyperTexts.
I admit here that I have not visited The HyperTexts before - I only knew of it through a reference on Martin McCarthy's Substack, as a publication for which he is a contributing Editor. Since starting publication here with own Substack, 6 months ago, I have been on a steep learning curve and I have come to know Martin a little - for his wonderful Poetry, and his frequent, generous and insightful comment on my own work, and that of others. I had been intending to take a look at The HyperTexts, because of Martin's connection.
The translation of women Poets from various places and times - wonderful!
Clearly there is much much more for me to explore.
My apologies for my apparent (and actual) ignorance. I exited the Australian Poetry scene about 22 years ago and my readings since have nearly all been hard copy books purchased through bookshops. I really have not explored the Internet for Poetry. I only started my own Substack 6 months ago, and it has been somewhat revelatory.... I have a huge amount of catching up to do....
Martin is a great resource, which is why I asked him to become a contributing editor to The HyperTexts. Plus he's so damn friendly and easy to get along with: rate qualities in poets these days!
These are THT pages that I recommend for new readers:
Hi, Dave. I'm so glad you found your way here! Mike is my friend, and one of the finest living poets / translators in the world. I'm sure he'll get back to you when he sees your message. I hope everything is good with you and Meg.
I have always loved these blessings and proverbs of the Native Americans. I find them to be calming, wise, and imbued with a sacred sense of all men as brothers and sisters on the same earth - qualities that seem quite lacking now in today's polarised society. I particularly like this blessing:
Cherokee Travelers' Blessing I
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
I will extract the thorns from your feet.
Yet a little longer we will walk life's sunlit paths together.
I will love you like my own brother, my own blood.
When you are disconsolate, I will wipe the tears from your eyes.
And when you are too sad to live, I will put your aching heart to rest.
Yes, the Native American blessings and proverbs have a sense of the sacred, if anything can be called sacred.
Thanks for posting this, Michael. I found it deeply interesting.
I read Dee Brown's book "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" when I was around 20, and it had a profound impact on me. It contained some wonderful translations recorded in the 19th century, and it tells a detailed and dreadful account of the invasion, destruction and genocide. (I accept more recent critiques which point out that it ignores the persistence and ongoing development of First Nations cultures, but I don't think that's a weakness of the book. I think it's a valid argument for a "Volume 2" which needs to be written by someone. Probably by now there are accounts which do just that).
The book made me reflect on the very limited - and highly sanitised - version of colonial/invasion history in my own country, and it made me look more deeply at that history, and at Australian Aboriginal/First Nation peoples and cultures. Which led me - a few years later - to relocate to the NT (Northern Territory) and end up working for many years in and with Aboriginal communities across remote areas of the centre and North. In fact, I lived for 3 years in a desert community of Warlpiri people, some of whom had - as children - survived Australia's equivalent of the Wounded Knee massacre; the Coniston atrocity of 1928. (If you are interested - my poem "Junga Yimi" tells of this. https://davidkirkby.substack.com/p/junga-yimi-true-story?r=471m47
So yes - your translations are fascinating, and I liked your own poetry too. Some of them are very beautiful. I particularly like: "The soul would see no Rainbows if not for the eyes’ tears."
Those Mayan boys sound like they had a one track mind. I'd love to know what poems and proverbs the women created. In this country, too, translations and cultural studies have tended to focus almost exclusively on men - with women's ceremonial knowledge and role and statements largely invisible until the 1980's, and still under represented.
Anyway - I could talk about this stuff all day!
What I really wanted to say was - thankyou!
Best Wishes - Dave :)
David, it's nice to meet you if only electronically, and thanks for taking the time to comment.
I will check out your poem, thanks.
If you're a fan of unknown and under-known women poets, as I am, I think I have the best collection of such translations anywhere:
https://michaelrburch.substack.com/publish/post/150438530?back=%2Fpublish%2Fposts
I can sympathize with the Mayan boys, remembering puberty!
It sounds like we share a common interest in human rights and equality, because I became an editor, publisher and translator of Holocaust poetry around 30 years ago. I worked with aging Holocaust survivors to translate Jewish Holocaust poems from Polish and Yiddish into English. In some cases the names of the poets were lost and only the poems survived.
After the last of my associates died, I continued the work alone.
You can see Holocaust poems I've written and translated here:
http://www.thehypertexts.com/Holocaust%20Poetry%20Michael%20R.%20Burch%20Auschwitz%20Rose.htm
I wrote a poem "We Come Together," that was set to music by the marvelously talented New Zealand composer David Hamilton, about moving beyond the racism that led to the horrors inflicted on the original inhabitants of New Zealand. It was performed by the Pakuranga Choral Society.
The response was good enough for a sequel, "“We Come Together, Holding Hands.”
Nine poems I wrote became the lyrics of "The Children of Gaza," set to music by the composer Eduard de Boer. Ed like the operatic version so much that he recently came out with an orchestral version as well.
I became the author of a peace plan for Israel/Palestine as well. So far there have been plenty of compliments by other peace activists, but so far no implementations. It's call the Burch-Elberry Peace Initiative and the Fair Courts Resolution.
Hi again, Michael.
Well - that is fascinating. I have been dipping into the links you sent me, and also having a slightly wider look at The HyperTexts.
I admit here that I have not visited The HyperTexts before - I only knew of it through a reference on Martin McCarthy's Substack, as a publication for which he is a contributing Editor. Since starting publication here with own Substack, 6 months ago, I have been on a steep learning curve and I have come to know Martin a little - for his wonderful Poetry, and his frequent, generous and insightful comment on my own work, and that of others. I had been intending to take a look at The HyperTexts, because of Martin's connection.
The translation of women Poets from various places and times - wonderful!
Clearly there is much much more for me to explore.
My apologies for my apparent (and actual) ignorance. I exited the Australian Poetry scene about 22 years ago and my readings since have nearly all been hard copy books purchased through bookshops. I really have not explored the Internet for Poetry. I only started my own Substack 6 months ago, and it has been somewhat revelatory.... I have a huge amount of catching up to do....
Best regards
Dave :)
Martin is a great resource, which is why I asked him to become a contributing editor to The HyperTexts. Plus he's so damn friendly and easy to get along with: rate qualities in poets these days!
These are THT pages that I recommend for new readers:
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL POEMS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
http://www.thehypertexts.com/The%20Most%20Beautiful%20Poems%20in%20the%20English%20Language.htm
THE BEST CONTEMPORARY POETRY PUBLISHED BY THEHYPERTEXTS
http://www.thehypertexts.com/The%20Best%20of%20The%20HyperTexts.htm
FOR TRANSLATIONS OF GREAT POETS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
http://www.thehypertexts.com/Best%20Poetry%20Translations.htm
Happy hunting!
Thankyou! I will read with delight!
Dave :)
Hi, Dave. I'm so glad you found your way here! Mike is my friend, and one of the finest living poets / translators in the world. I'm sure he'll get back to you when he sees your message. I hope everything is good with you and Meg.