Wednesday, October 25, 2023

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT -- DYLAN THOMAS

Do not go gentle into that good night

Dylan Thomas - 1914-1953


Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.



                                                              ###    

See a note about this poem at: 
https://poemanalysis.com/dylan-thomas/do-not-go-gentle-into-that-good-night/                                                             

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Dylan Thomas -- Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night. (Second Copy)

Do not go gentle into that good night Dylan Thomas. 1914 – 1953 

 Do not go gentle into that good night, 
Old age should burn and rave at close of day; 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 
Though wise men at their end know dark is right, 
Because their words had forked no lightning they
 
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright 
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, 
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, 
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight 
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 
And you, my father, there on the sad height, 
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. 
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 


 From The Poems of Dylan Thomas, published by New Directions. Copyright © 1952, 1953 Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1937, 1945, 1955, 1962, 1966, 1967 the Trustees for the Copyrights of Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1938, 1939, 1943, 1946, 1971 New Directions Publishing Corp. Used with permission.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas (compact with notes)

This is a very good poem by Dylan Thomas and here is a great article about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_go_gentle_into_that_good_night And a good article about Dylan Thomas https://poets.org/poet/dylan-thomas And this poem: https://poets.org/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night Do not go gentle into that good night Dylan Thomas 1914 – 1953 Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. From The Poems of Dylan Thomas, published by New Directions. Copyright © 1952, 1953 Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1937, 1945, 1955, 1962, 1966, 1967 the Trustees for the Copyrights of Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1938, 1939, 1943, 1946, 1971 New Directions Publishing Corp. Used with permission.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Thoughts on When I Leave this World Behind written by Irving Berlin in 1915

Sunrise used to make me happy.

Now it leaves me feeling crappy. 

Plopped in senior luxury place,

Is supposed to bring a smile to my face?

Aging sucks and I’ll say it once more —

Leaving this world I’ll gladly vote for!


So I’ve said my sad little piece, but Irving Berlin said it lots better—

I’ll post his great lyrics for you to enjoy, then, quickly as possible, wind up this letter!


This is nicely sung by Eddie Fisher:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2X8mOT8sKc


Here is a link with the tune:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYfwANc9ev8


And this one has a score!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsyG-kJ09aE





When I Leave the World Behind

Lyrics

1st verse:
I know a millionaire,
Who's burdened down with care,
A load is on his mind.
He's thinking of the day
When he must pass away
And leave his wealth behind.
I haven't any gold
To leave when I grow old,
Somehow it passed me by.
I'm very poor, but still
I'll leave a precious will
When I must say goodbye.

Chorus:
I'll leave the sunshine to the flowers,
I'll leave the spring time to the trees;
And to the old folks I'll leave the mem'ries
Of a baby upon their knees.
I'll leave the night time to the dreamers,
I'll leave the song birds to the blind;
I'll leave the moon above to those in love,
When I leave the world behind,
When I leave the world behind.


###



Tuesday, October 3, 2023

EL MALAY RACHAMIM -- ARAMAIC

A memorial prayer for the departed, traditionally chanted at funerals.  

This is not the same as the Kaddish recited at Yahrzeits, etc.  

Source: https://mountsinaiparks.org/el-malei-rachamim/#:~:text=The%20El%20Malei%20Rachamim%20prayer%20is%20known%20as,which%20the%20memory%20of%20the%20dead%20is%20recalled.

Like many Jewish prayers - this one is Aramaic.  

The Transliterated and Translated versions are in another post in this blog.  

El-Malei-Hebrew

                                                                            

                                                                                        ###


Monday, October 2, 2023

EL MALEI RACHAMIM TRANSLITERATED AND TRANSLATED

 El Malei Rachamim transliterated and English translation


EL MALEI RACHAMIM

Memorial prayer for the departed

El malei rachamim, shochen bam 'romim, hamtzei m'nucha

n'chona tachat kanfei ha-sh'china, b'ma'alot k'doshim

u-'horim k'zohar ha-raki'a mazhirim. et nishmat

(insert name of the deceased)

FOR A MALE

shehalach l'olamo. B'gan eiden t'hei m'nuchato. Lachen,

ba'al ha-rachamim, vastirehu b'seter k'nafav l'olamim,

'vitz'ror bitz'ror ha-chayim et nishmato. Adonai hu

nachalato, v'yanu'ach b'shalom al mishkavo. V'nomar: Amen.

FOR A FEMALE

shehalcha l'olama. B'gan eiden t'hei m'nuchata. Lachen,

ba'al ha-rachamim, vastireha b'seter k'nafav l'olamim,

'vitz'ror bitz'ror ha-chavim et nishmatah. Adonai hu

nachalatah: v'tanu'ach b'shalom al mishkavah. V'nomar:

Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O God, full of compassion, who dwells on high, grant perfect

rest beneath the sheltering wings of Your divine presence,

among the holy and pure who shine as the brightness of the

firmament, unto (insert name of the deceased)

FOR A MALE

who has gone to his eternal home. Author of mercy, bring

him under the shelter of Your wings and let his soul be

bound up in the bonds of eternal life. May you be his

inheritance and may his repose be in peace. Amen.

FOR A FEMALE

who has gone to her eternal home. Author of mercy,

bring her under the shelter of Your wings and let her soul

be bound up in the bonds of eternal life. May you be her

inheritance and may her repose be in peace. Amen.

                                              ###

THE ALENU

Aleinu leshabeach la-Adon haKol, laTet g'dulah l'yotzer b'reshit 
She'lo asanu k'goyei haAratzot, ve'lo samanu k'mishpchot haAdama 
She'lo sam chelkeinu kahem 
VeGoraleinu k'chol hamonam 
VaAnachnu korim uMistachavim uModim 
Lifnei Melech Malchei haM'lachim haKadosh Baruch Hu. 

She hu note shamaim veYosed aretz 
UMoshav yekarov bashamaim mima'al 
USh'chinat uzo b'govhei m'romim 
Hu Eloheinu ein od 
Emet Malkenu efes zulato 
KaKatuv B'Torato v'yadata hayom vahashevotah el levav'cha 
Ki Adonai Hu HaElohim 
BaShamaim MiMaal VeAlHaaretz Mitachat Ein Od. 

Vene'emar: vehayah adonai lemelech al kol ha'aretz, bayom hahu yiheyeh adonai echad u'shemo echad.
עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל, לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת, וְלֹא שָׂמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה. שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם, וגוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכָל-הֲמוֹנָם. וַאֲנַחְנוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ, וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל, וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים. הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ, אֵין עוֹד, אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ, אֶפֶס זוּלָתוֹ. כַּכָּתוּב בְּתּוֹרָתוֹ וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת אֵין עוֹד:

וְנֶאֱמַר: וְהָיָה יְיָ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד.

Translation:

It is our duty to praise the Lord of all things, to ascribe greatness​ to him who formed the world in the beginning​, since he hath not made us like the nations of other lands, and hath not placed us like other families of the earth, since he hath not assigned unto us a portion as unto them, nor a lot as unto all their multitude​. For we bend the knee and offer worship and thanks before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be he, who stretched​ forth the heavens and laid the foundatio​ns of the earth, the seat of whose glory is in the heavens above, and the abode of whose might is in the loftiest heights. He is our God; there is none else an truth he is our King; there is none besides him; as it is written in his Law, And thou shalt know this day, and lay it to thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. 

And it is said, And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall the Lord be One, and his name One. 

Sourc​e: The Standard Prayer book by Simeon Singer (1915) (public domain)

Information:

Every prayer service is closed with this prayer, which is central part of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Mussaf.

For more please see: 

[Note: this is said at many kinds of services -- it's not about death and dying, but I just wanted it where I could find it.]

Sunday, October 1, 2023

ANOTHER ALEINU PRESENTATION WITH TRANSLITERATION AND TRANSLATION

#English translation[9]TransliterationHebrew
1It is our duty to praise the Master of all,Aleinu l'šabeaḥ la'Adon hakolעָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל,
2to ascribe greatness to the Author of creation,latet gedulah l'yoṣer b'reišit,לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית,
3who has not made us like the nations of the landsšelo asanu k'goyei ha'araṣot,שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת,
4nor placed us like the families of the earth;v'lo samanu k'mišp'ḥot ha'adamah,וְלֹא שָׂמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה.
5who has not made our portion like theirs,šelo sam ḥelqenu kahem,שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם,
6nor our destiny like all their multitudes.v'goralenu k'ḵol hamonam.וְגוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם.
   [Some congregations omit:]
7  For they worship vanity and emptiness,  Šehem mištaḥavim l'heḇel variqשֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וָרִיק,
8  and pray to a god who cannot save.  umitpal'lim El-El lo yošia[10]וּמִתְפַּלְלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יוֹשִׁיעַ.
9But we bow in worship and give thanksVa'anaḥnu kor`im, umištaḥavim umodim,וַאֲנַחְנוּ כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים,
10unto the Supreme King of kings,lif'nei Meleḵ, Malḵei haM'laḵim,לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים
11the Holy One, Blessed be He,haQadoš baruḵ Hu.הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
12who extends the heavens and establishes the earth,Šehu noṭeh šamayim, v'yosed areṣ,שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ,
13whose throne of glory is in the heavens above,umošav y'qaro bašamayim mima'al,וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל,
14and whose power's Presence is in the highest of heights.ušḵinat uzo begaḇhei m'romim,וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים.
15He is our God; there is no other.Hu Eloheinu ein od,הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵין עוֹד,
16Truly He is our King, there is none else,emet malkenu, efes zulato,אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ אֶפֶס זוּלָתוֹ.
17as it is written in His Torah:kakatuḇ beTorato:כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ:
18"You shall know and take to heart this dayv'yada'ta hayom,
vahašeḇota el l'ḇaḇeḵa.
וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ,
19that the Lord is God,Ki Adonai, hu haElohim,כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים
20in the heavens abovebašamayim mi ma'al,בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל
21and on earth below. There is no other."v'al ha'areṣ mitaḥat. Ein od.וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת. אֵין עוֹד.



The literal translation of line number 9 is "But we bend our knees and bow down and express thanks". The Sefardic/Mizrahi tradition shortens this line to ואנחנוּ משׁתּחום—Va'anḥnu mištaḥavim—"But we bow down". The quotation in lines 18–21 is Deuteronomy 4:39.




This is not really a funeral prayer as far as I know but I wanted it at hand.
It gives me comfort to chant it even though I don't think I'm much of a believer.


ALEINU

Aleinu le'shabeiach la'adon hakol, 
lateit gedulah leyotzeir bereshit
she'lo asanu ke'goyei ha'aratzot, 
ve'lo samanu ke'mishpechot ha'adamah, 
she'lo sam chelkeinu kahem, 
ve'goraleinu ke'chol hamonam. 
Va'anachnu korim, u'mishtachavim, u'modim, 
lifnei melech, malchei ham'lachim, 
hakadosh baruch Hu. 
She'hu noteh shamayim, ve'yoseid aretz, 
u'moshav yikaro bashamayim mi-ma'al, 
u'sh'chinat u-zo be'gavhei me'romim. 
Hu Eloheinu, ein od. Emet malkeinu, efes zulato. 
Kakatuv be'torato, ve'yadata hayom, ve'hashevota Eil le'vavecha. 
Ki Adonai, Hu ha-Elohim, bashamayim mi-ma'al, 
ve'al ha'aretz mi-tachat. Ein od. 
Kakatuv be'toratecha: "Adonai yimloch le'olam va'ed." 
Ve'ne'emar: "Ve'haya Adonai le'melech al kol ha'aretz, 
bayom hahu yihiyeh Adonai echad, u'shemo echad." 

It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to acclaim the 
greatness of the One 
who forms all creation. For God did not make us 
like the nations of other 
lands, and did not make us the same as other 
families of the Earth. God did 
not place us in the same situations as others, and 
our destiny is not the same 
as anyone else's. 
And we bend our knees, and bow down, and give 
thanks, before the Ruler, 
the Ruler of Rulers, the Holy One, Blessed is God. 
The One who spread out the heavens, and made the 
foundations of the Earth, 
and whose precious dwelling is in the heavens 
above, and whose powerful 
Presence is in the highest heights. Adonai is our 
God, there is none else. 
Our God is truth, and nothing else compares. As 
it 
is written in Your 
Torah: "And you shall know today, and take to 
heart, that Adonai is the only 
God, in the heavens above and on Earth below. 
There is no other." 
Therefore we put our hope in You, Adonai our God, 
to soon see the glory of 
Your strength, to remove all idols from the Earth, 
and to completely cut off 
all false gods; to repair the world, Your holy 
empire. And for all living flesh 
to call Your name, and for all the wicked of the 
Earth to turn to You. May all 
the world's inhabitants recognize and know that to 
You every knee must 
bend and every tongue must swear loyalty. Before 
You, Adonai, our God, 
may all bow down, and give honor to Your precious 
name, and may all take 
upon themselves the yoke of Your rule. And may 
You 
reign over them soon 
and forever and always. Because all rule is Yours 
alone, and You will rule 
in honor forever and ever. 
As it is written in Your Torah: 
"Adonai will reign forever and ever." 
And it is said: "Adonai will be Ruler over the 
whole Earth, and on that day, 
God will be One, and God's name will be One.


Sources:Eisenberg, Ronald L. The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions. PA: Jewish Publication Society, 2004; “What is in the SiddurShabbat and Holiday Liturgy“Aleinu"; Wigoder, Geoffrey , Ed. The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia. NY: Facts on File, 1992; “Aleinu-It’s Our Job”“History: Who wrote the Aleinu?”

JOAN'S DEATH POEMS: COLLECTED! (A Work in Progress)

Erato: Muse of Poetry I did not write most of the works in his blog.  But I have loved and been inspired by them over the years.  And right ...