Tribute To Mika Yamamoto
Some Say Life Is But A Stage
On Which We All Play A Game
Filled With Laughter And Tears
And Little Surprises Along The Way
We Seek And Hopefully We May Find
What We Are Looking For
On This Worldly Place We Call Home
A Mission That Was Given To Us
And To Us Alone
You Saw The Light That Shone Upon You
The Soul Within You Called For Excellency
On A Difficult Journey You Traveled
To Accomplish Tasks Few Dare To Dream Of
Because Of Your Bravery The Truth Is Revealed
Through Your Eyes The World Sees Cruelty
Where Needless Bloodshed
Covered Smiles Of Innocent Children
Where Killings Are Carried Out
In Names Of National Honor And Faith
The God We Know Must Be Blinded
For No Justification Could Be Made
For Destruction On Such Massive Scale
To A Land Where Peace Is But
A Word Remembered Only In The Hearts
Of Those Who Dare To Dream
You Sacrificed Your Life
In The Achievement Of Excellency
Though You Left This Earthly Home Of Ours
Your Spirit Will Shine On
Like A Bright Light Through Darkness
In The Hearts Of Those You Encountered
And Those Who Silently Admire
Your Dedication And Courage
Like A Warm Sun From Afar
By Midori Chan in honour of Mika Yamamoto (1967–2012)
http://world.time.com/2012/08/24/the-freelancer-as-martyr-mika-yamamoto-1967-2012/
We can only but look up with admiration at war journalists.
What drives them to espouse the truth regardless of the dangers they face?
Marie Colvin’s last post from Baba Amr, a day before she too was killed, suggests a traveler weary of the horrors she has seen.
http://www.greenit.org.za/marie-colvin.html
As she watches the baby dying she realizes that even for her it is too much.
“And I should be hardened by now. “she says.
The deaths of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik prompted Claudine de Fey to post her beautiful “Lament of the Earth Dreamers”.
http://www.greenit.org.za/the-lament-of-the-earth-dreamers.html
Children dying in war is truly horrific.
Women dying in war no less.
By now Syria has degraded to a conflict in which inhumane acts are being committed by both sides, often with impunity.
Sadly most of these war crimes will go unpunished as it is the case always; some of those on the side that loses will face justice of some sorts although acts of revenge prevail.
The side that wins will be polished up as the ‘good’.
The personal challenge for all of us is to not be fooled by this – it is the least we can do for the countless victims for whom justice will never be achieved ... and for the brave journalists reporting these acts.
Midori Chan has the powerful talent to blend her magical digital art with words.
Sometimes short poems, almost accidental like Mike Shaw's:
http://www.greenit.org.za/looking-back.html
Other times longer narratives, stories of her experiences, most of these uplifting encounters with the positive side of humanity.
When I read of the death of Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese national, my immediate thought was of Midori Chan, that perhaps like Claudine de Fey she too could do poetic justice for her compatriot.
This poem is longer, a departure from the shorter poetic style of Midori Chan, but appropriate.
Significantly Midori Chan chose the Lotus …
Gabri Rigotti
Some Say Life Is But A Stage
On Which We All Play A Game
Filled With Laughter And Tears
And Little Surprises Along The Way
We Seek And Hopefully We May Find
What We Are Looking For
On This Worldly Place We Call Home
A Mission That Was Given To Us
And To Us Alone
You Saw The Light That Shone Upon You
The Soul Within You Called For Excellency
On A Difficult Journey You Traveled
To Accomplish Tasks Few Dare To Dream Of
Because Of Your Bravery The Truth Is Revealed
Through Your Eyes The World Sees Cruelty
Where Needless Bloodshed
Covered Smiles Of Innocent Children
Where Killings Are Carried Out
In Names Of National Honor And Faith
The God We Know Must Be Blinded
For No Justification Could Be Made
For Destruction On Such Massive Scale
To A Land Where Peace Is But
A Word Remembered Only In The Hearts
Of Those Who Dare To Dream
You Sacrificed Your Life
In The Achievement Of Excellency
Though You Left This Earthly Home Of Ours
Your Spirit Will Shine On
Like A Bright Light Through Darkness
In The Hearts Of Those You Encountered
And Those Who Silently Admire
Your Dedication And Courage
Like A Warm Sun From Afar
By Midori Chan in honour of Mika Yamamoto (1967–2012)
http://world.time.com/2012/08/24/the-freelancer-as-martyr-mika-yamamoto-1967-2012/
We can only but look up with admiration at war journalists.
What drives them to espouse the truth regardless of the dangers they face?
Marie Colvin’s last post from Baba Amr, a day before she too was killed, suggests a traveler weary of the horrors she has seen.
http://www.greenit.org.za/marie-colvin.html
As she watches the baby dying she realizes that even for her it is too much.
“And I should be hardened by now. “she says.
The deaths of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik prompted Claudine de Fey to post her beautiful “Lament of the Earth Dreamers”.
http://www.greenit.org.za/the-lament-of-the-earth-dreamers.html
Children dying in war is truly horrific.
Women dying in war no less.
By now Syria has degraded to a conflict in which inhumane acts are being committed by both sides, often with impunity.
Sadly most of these war crimes will go unpunished as it is the case always; some of those on the side that loses will face justice of some sorts although acts of revenge prevail.
The side that wins will be polished up as the ‘good’.
The personal challenge for all of us is to not be fooled by this – it is the least we can do for the countless victims for whom justice will never be achieved ... and for the brave journalists reporting these acts.
Midori Chan has the powerful talent to blend her magical digital art with words.
Sometimes short poems, almost accidental like Mike Shaw's:
http://www.greenit.org.za/looking-back.html
Other times longer narratives, stories of her experiences, most of these uplifting encounters with the positive side of humanity.
When I read of the death of Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese national, my immediate thought was of Midori Chan, that perhaps like Claudine de Fey she too could do poetic justice for her compatriot.
This poem is longer, a departure from the shorter poetic style of Midori Chan, but appropriate.
Significantly Midori Chan chose the Lotus …
Gabri Rigotti