Haikus: December 2008

HAIKUS: December 2008

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

These haikus were written as exercises in mindfulness—
an attempt to catch the fleeting moment in my daily walks,
while reading, listening to music, and pondering about life.
(Underlined words are not for emphasis but to web links.)
This web page best viewed with Times font size 14.

Monday, December 1, 2008, 12:31-12:34 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Dmitri Shostakovich
The First Echelon: Waltz, Op. 99 (1956)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Beautiful lilting
waltz to dance around in space—
nine planets spinning. Monday, December 1, 2008, 1:00-1:33 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony #1 in C major, Op. 21 (1800)
(Listen) (CD) (YouTube), Analysis

First Symphony of
Beethoven and the lion's
claws are coming out!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 11:40-11:52 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Nicola Benedetti
plays Camille Saint-Saens (1887)
Havanaise: Violin & Orchestra in E major Op. 83
Listen, CD, YouTube: Heifetz

Lively music wakes
me from the realm of sleep
so I could get work done. Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 12:32-12:43 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Maxim Vengerov
plays Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1806)
(Listen) (CD) (YouTube: David Oistrakh)

Many years ago
a friend wrote to me about
hearing this music.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 5:15 pm
White Plaza, Stanford University
Seeing Jupiter-Venus-Crescent Moon
Sky & Telescope: Venus & Jupiter Show

Clouds covered the bright
trine lovefest yesterday—
Now, Moon has moved away. Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 7:00 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Searching for image of Chuang Tzu
and found "A Taiwan Fox Tale"

Old man Wu-Cheng met
a Taoist Immortal who
taught him sacred arts.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 11:59 am-12:04 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker: Scenes, Op. 71 (1892)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Christmas is near when
they play The Nutcracker for
its festival mood. Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 12:07-12:18 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Philip Glass
The Hours: Suite (2002)
(Listen) (CD) (YouTube)

Are the hours man-made
or celestial?— Earth's spinning
24 hours a day.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 7:45-8:30 pm
Mountain View: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway,
Google Inc. (Host: van-gtug), Building 43
John Manzer, Business Development Manager,
Slide presentation on GeoEye: Satellite imaging
& mapping of the earth: Somali pirates

Somali pirates
and Saudi's crude oil tanker
caught on satellite photo. Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 9:00-11:00 pm
Mountain View: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway,
Google Inc., Building 43, Snack Bar
Rudy and I chat while snacking with tea.
I tell him about meditation & levitation:
Peter walking on water & sank when doubtful

Believing is seeing—
With strong faith, we manifest
things into this world.

Thursday, December 4, 2008, 2:08-2:12 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Antonin Dvorak
Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 (1897)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Serenade for Strings
of Dvorak calms the spirit
and gives us much peace. Thursday, December 4, 2008, 5:30 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Reply to Peter Robinson's June 9 email & his poem
comparing molded bread to Monet's Brittany cliffs

His poem is alchemical
putrefaction— decay into
the wholeness of light!

Friday, December 5, 2008, 11:15-11:22 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Isaac Albeniz
Pavana Capricho, Op. 12 (1883)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Waking from dreamland
to a crystal palace where
snowflakes are dancing. Friday, December 5, 2008, 4:44 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Idea for poem: "Meditation on the Moon"
and the Lightness of Being

Moon is my guru—
changing my mind from darkness
to light and wholeness.

Friday, December 5, 2008, 7:30-9:30 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers' Poetry Reading
I read poem "Hitchcock Revisted in Vertigo"

Hitchcock would have loved
this poem with 25 of
his films titles in it. Friday, December 5, 2008, 10:30 pm-12:30 am
Home in Mountain View: Got home early
for a change to do my laundry
(Richard Wilbur's poem)

Fresh laundry so warm
and sweet— we love it for
cleanliness is holy.

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 9:59-10:06 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Erich Kunzel
conducts Franz Lehár
Gold and Silver Waltzes, Op. 79 (1902)
Listen, (CD), YouTube

Gold & Silver Ball
long forgotten but Lehár's
Waltz still played today. Saturday, December 6, 2008, 10:06-10:14 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Gordon Hunt
plays Domenico Zipoli,
Elevazione "Ascension" (1716)
(Listen) CD, YouTube

Zipoli's tune is
not on their Top 100 Poll—
so I vote for it.

Sunday, December 7, 2008, 10:48-10:55 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Eugene Ormandy
conducts George Frederick Handel,
Xerxes: Ombra mai fu "Largo" (1738)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Not wine, women, song,
but this tree in his yard—
loved most by King Xerxes. Sunday, December 7, 2008, 11:52-11:58 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert von Karajan
conducts Pietro Mascagni,
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo (1889)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Mascagni's music
is so romantic that it
always tugs my heart.

Sunday, December 7, 2008, 1:30-3:30 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at Long's (jacket), and groceries at
Fiesta Produce Market and Safeway

Green onions, tomatoes,
nacho & ranch corn chips,
shrimps and non-fat milk. Sunday, December 7, 2008, 4:00-7:00 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Web page on "Levitation in Literature"
Don Quixote, Vol. II, Ch. 41 (1615)

Wooden horse Clavileno
takes Don Quixote and Sancho
for a ride to the stars.

Monday, December 8, 2008, 11:40-11:46 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Jean Sibelius,
Kuolema: Valse triste, Op. 44 #1 (1911)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Sibelius' sad waltz
recounts a woman's deathbed
regrets of her life. Monday, December 8, 2008, 1:45-1:55 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Strauss, Jr.
Künstlerleben op. 316 (Artists' Life) (1867)
Listen, CD, YouTube

The artist's life is
a sacred calling to let
the spirit flow through.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 11:49-11:55 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Paula Robison (flutist)
plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Marriage of Figaro: Nono so più cosa son (1786)
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Notes

"Don't know what I am"
says Cherubino— ponder
on "Tat Tvam Asi". Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 1:00-1:30 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell (41st birthday)
plays Felix Mendelssohn,
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 (1844)
Listen, CD, YouTube, Gibson Stradivarius

Four million dollar
violin makes Joshua Bell
play even better.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 12:49-1:03 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: George Frederick Handel,
Messiah: Finale HWV 56 (1742)
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Notes

Handel's Messiah—
too theatrical to be
accepted at first. Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 1:29-1:34 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Sleeping Beauty: Waltz, Op. 66 (1889)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Sleep is beautiful
and real because it's less dense
than dream or waking.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 2:05-2:10 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Jules Massenet,
Thaïs: Meditation (1894)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Massenet's music
for meditation— just right
for levitation. Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 3:00 pm
Los Altos Library: Found Madeleine L'Engle's
A Wrinkle in Time since Stanford's copy
is checked out & my copy is in storage

After teaching them
about the tesseract—
they teleport away.

Thursday, December 11, 2008, 12:22-12:32 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Anne-Sophie Mutter
plays Johann Sebastian Bach (1723)
Violin Concerto #1 in A minor, BWV 1041
(listen), CD, YouTube

Bach's violin lifts me
up to heaven every time
I hear his music. Thursday, December 11, 2008, 1:05-1:36 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Yuri Bashmet
conducts Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48 (1880)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Serenade for Strings—
sad music to stir the soul
for lost memories.

Friday, December 12, 2008, 9:00 am
Dream: 8-year old Elisa shows me her report card
(3 A's & 1 A+) & Art card she made with portrait
of grandpa, grandma, and a smiling Uncle Peter.
A happy child portraying everyone with smiles!

Knock on door wakes me
from my dream— Friend brings me
ten pounds of oranges. Friday, December 12, 2008, 1:05-1:36 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell
plays Antonio Vivaldi
"The Four Seasons: Winter", Op. 8 #4 (1723)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Winter snowflakes fall
one by one as words float down
into my first poem.

Saturday, December 13, 2008, Noon
Lausen Mall, Stanford University
Photo of Clock Tower at 12 o'clock noon
8th anniversary of Dad's death (4:32 pm)

Dad died eight years ago
today— he comes to me
in words of the wise. Saturday, December 13, 2008, 1:05-5:00 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Levitation Themes in Literature
Chang-E Flying to the Moon

Chang-e ate the herb
of immortality and
flew up to the moon.

Sunday, December 14, 2008, 12:03-12:18 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,
Scheherazade, Op. 35 (1888)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

1001 Nights—
you too would be prolific
like her to save your life! Sunday, December 14, 2008, 2:15-2:25 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Maurice Ravel,
Bolero (1928),
(Listen), CD, YouTube (Ravel's Dementia?)

Repeating notes in
Bolero— perhaps sign
of Ravel's dementia?

Monday, December 15, 2008, 10:32-10:38 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joseph Haydn
Symphony #82 in C major "The Bear" (1786)
(Listen), CD

They're playing Haydn's
"Bear Symphony"— too cold
that I'd like to hibernate. Monday, December 15, 2008, 12:14-12:19 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Don Ray,
Homestead Dances: Farmhands' Dance,
(Listen), CD, (1996)

After the harvest,
villagers dance around
the haystack in moonlight.

Monday, December 15, 2008, 7:30-9:15 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto
John Houston directs African Queen (1951)
starring Humphrey Bogart & Kathrine Hepburn

Riverboat adventure
down the African rivers
to torpedo German ship. Monday, December 15, 2008, 9:25-11:20 pm
Stanford Theatre, Billy Wilder directs
Sabrina (1954) starring Humphrey Bogart,
William Holden and Audrey Hepburn

Sabrina sings love
song "La vie en rose"
in this movie of romance.

Monday, December 15, 2008, 11:32 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto: I spot Donald Knuth
looking at window display of Audrey Hepburn "Sabrina" photos & go over to say "Hello Donald"
telling him that his books (TAOCP) are legendary.
He introduces me to his wife Jill Knuth.

He shakes my hand when
I tell him we've met at
Friends of the Library talks. Monday, December 15, 2008, 11:35 pm
Stanford Theatre: Rudy wonders "Who's that man
shaking your hand?" I tell Rudy: "He's the father
of the analysis of algorithms, a Biblical scholar,
and lover of typography, the organ & Wurlitzer."
Donald Knuth, TAOCP and Bill Gates, Steve Jobs

Knuth's middle name in
Chinese is Te, same as Dad's
meaning Tao of virtue.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 10:51-11:02 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Gustavo Dudamel
conducts Ludwig van Beethoven,
Symphony #5 in C minor, Op. 67 (1808)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Such vitality
from a youthful conductor
for Beethoven's Fifth. Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:10-12:15 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludovico Einaudi
plays Ludovico Einaudi,
Divenire: Andare (2007)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Tiny bells laughing
in profusion from the star
of the Little Prince.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:58-1:35 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: In honor of Beethoven's
birthday (Bonn, Dec. 16, 1770), they play
his Symphony #4 in B-Flat, Op. 60 (1806)
Listen, CD, YouTube: Von Karajan

238th birthday
of Beethoven—
his music still young. Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 2:30-5:00 pm
Stanford Art Library: I chat with graduate student
Daniel Hackbarth about levitation in literature.
He tells me about Márquez's "100 Years of Solitude"
a scene where a character ascends to heaven.

Remedios the Beauty
while folding laudry
ascends into the sky.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 10:00-11:30 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: In honor of 105th anniversary of
Wright Brothers' first flight, Kitty Hawk, NC (1903)
Hoyt Smith plays music with flight themes

Believing is seeing—
Kitty Hawk's a test of faith
in man's first flight. Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 11:29-11:36 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Magic Flute: Queen of the Night Aria, K620 (1791)
Listen, (CD) YouTube

The Full Moon shining
in all her splendor— here is
the Queen of the Night.

Thursday, December 18, 2008, 10:02-10:09 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Pachelbel,
Canon in D major (1680)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Inspiring music
from a monk's mind that's pure
lifting us to heaven. Thursday, December 18, 2008, 10:18-10:25 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Marin Marais,
La Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève (1723)
Listen, (CD)

The Little Prince rings
bells from his star as if all
the stars are laughing.

Thursday, December 18, 2008, 10:50-10:54 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Roman Hofstetter,
Serenade in C (Quartet for Strings) (1777),
(Listen: Haydn Op. 3), CD, YouTube

Benedictine monk
composed this beautiful gem
moving me to dance. Thursday, December 18, 2008, 10:54-11:03 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Emile Waldteufel
Les Patineurs (Skaters' Waltz), Op. 183 (1882)
(Listen) CD, YouTube

Whether on ice or
in the ballroom— pure delight
for dancing the waltz.

Friday, December 19, 2008, 10:33-10:45 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Richard Wagner,
Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries (1856)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Female Valkyries
"chooser of the slain" carry
dead knights to Valhalla. Friday, December 19, 2008, 11:01-11:10 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Traditional (History)
Twelve Days of Christmas (1770s), (Poem, Tree)
(Listen) CD, YouTube, 364 items cost $86, 609

The gifts add up to
$86,000— but
true love is priceless!

Friday, December 19, 2008, 7:30-9:05 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto, Ernest Lubitsch directs
"The Shop Around the Corner" (1940) starring
Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Frank Morgan

Box 237—
where each letter brings her joy—
miracle of love. Friday, December 19, 2008, 9:20-11:00 pm
Stanford Theatre, Victor Fleming directs
The Wizard of Oz (1939) starring Judy Garland,
Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr

She's uplifted from
Kansas to Oz— film changes
color when she transcends.

Saturday, December 20, 2008, 10:21-10:23 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Leroy Anderson,
Sleigh Ride (1946),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Currie and Ives print
of a winter sleigh ride in
the snow— you're in it! Saturday, December 20, 2008, 12:38-1:10 pm
Palm Drive, Stanford University
Stanford Shuttle Bus didn't show up.
Took Bus #522 and walked to campus

Nice sunny day instead
of rain— this stroll up
Palm Drive is good for me.

Sunday, December 21, 2008, 4:30-5:45 pm
Los Altos Library: Greg Reppen's email
responding to my "Believing is Seeing"
with references on belief (Stanford, Wikipedia)

Belief in tooth fairy
doesn't make it so— Belief
in flight made it to the Moon! Sunday, December 21, 2008, 7:07-7:13 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Emile Waldteufel
Les Patineurs (Skaters' Waltz), Op. 183 (1882)
(Listen) CD, YouTube

This music is such
a delight to listen and
more fun for dancing.

Monday, December 22, 2008, 9:16-9:20 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Isaac Watts (lyrics 1719)
& Lowell Mason (music 1822), Joy to the World,
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Lyrics

Joy to the world that
Christ is born on this day
of Winter Solstice. Monday, December 22, 2008, 9:35-9:38 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Traditional,
I Saw Three Ships (1666),
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Lyrics

I saw three ships sailing in:
Waking, dream, and sleep—
mystery of Consciousness.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 9:53-9:58 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Irving Berlin, White Christmas (1942), (Listen), CD, YouTube: Bing Crosby, Lyrics

Best Christmas song
of the 20th century—
Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 10:49-10:54 am
Mountain View: El Camino & Ortega Ave.
Layers of fluffy cotton clouds (Photo)

Rain has stopped. Sun's out—
Fluffy cotton clouds fill up
the baby blue sky.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 10:49-10:54 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Jay Livingston,
Silver Bells (1951)
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Lyrics

Silver bells, silver bells—
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas day. Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 11:52-11:54 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1892)
Nutcracker: Dance of Sugar Plum Fairy, Op. 71
Listen, CD, YouTube

Mice are tipping in
for cheese and crackers left
in the kitchen to eat.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 5:30-7:00 pm
Fry's Electronics, Palo Alto
After Los Altos Library, I take Bus #22
to Fry's to buy FM Radio Pen for $3.99

I'll never run out
on Beethoven now that
I've got a radio pen. Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 8:30-11:20 pm
Stanford Theatre, Frank Capra directs
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) starring James Stewart,
Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, and Henry Travers

Show is sold out!—
Lucky to get free ticket
to see this classic!

Thursday, December 25, 2008, 9:30-10:40 am
Mountain View, Ortega Ave, Hastings Condo
Cathy & Larry visit from Las Vegas
No annual Christmas hike due to rain

Cathy recalls her Dad
dying and cites Isaiah [25.8]
on deathlessness. Thursday, December 25, 2008, 12:38-12:44 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Franz Schubert (1825),
Ellens Gesang III, D839, Ave Maria, Op. 52 #6
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Schubert's Ave Maria
soars higher than those
cathedrals of Notre Dame.

Thursday, December 25, 2008, 3:00-4:30 pm
Mountain View, Rengstroff Park
The rain has stopped. Sky filled with white
and black clouds, some occasional sunshine

Walk with friend in park
on cold windy Christmas Day—
lots of crows flying. Thursday, December 25, 2008, 4:45-4:58 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Pachelbel,
Canon in D major (1680)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Pachelbel's Canon
uplifts us for flight—
music for levitation.

Friday, December 26, 2008, 7:01-7:09 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Frederic Chopin, Mazurkas,
Op. 33 #2 (1838), Op. 59 #3 (1845), Op. 30 #3 (1837), (Listen), CD, YouTube

Chopin's Mazurkas
wake me up this morning
like a tender bird song. Friday, December 26, 2008, 7:30-7:37 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Violin Concerto #4 in D major, K. 218 (1775)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Not usually up
this early to listen to
Mozart in the morning.

Friday, December 26, 2008, 9:00-9:30 am
Galvez Street, Stanford University
Walking by Eucalyptus Grove amidst
fallen branches, leaves, and nuts.

Wind exacted its toll—
branches, leaves, and nuts
like dead soldiers in battle. Friday, December 26, 2008, 9:00-9:30 am
Galvez Street, Stanford University
Walking by Eucalyptus Grove amidst
fallen branches, leaves, and nuts.

Gathered wands of nuts
shaped like Y, Cross, & Star
as if I'm a fairy.

Saturday, December 27, 2008, 12:02-12:09 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludwig van Beethoven,
Rondo a capriccio for Piano in G major, Op. 129
"Rage Over a Lost Penny" (1795)
(Listen), CD, YouTube: Evgeny Kissin

Rage over apathy—
our attention to trivia
instead of truth. Saturday, December 27, 2008, 12:49-12:54 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell
plays Jules Massenet,
Thaïs: Meditation (1894)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Meditation before
levitation— diving
within to heaven.

Saturday, December 27, 2008, 2:30-3:30 pm
Mountain View, 1350 Grant Road
Friend takes me grocery shopping
at Ranch 99 Market for Chinese food

Bean sprouts, lotus root,
cauliflower, winter melon,
canned veggies and dumplings. Sunday, December 28, 2008, 2:00-5:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
Ian Punnett interviews Christopher Valentine
& Dr. Christian von Lahr on "Nature People:
Gnomes, Elves, Fairies & Leprechauns" (Book)

Nature people have
lots of wisdom— they're builders
of this universe.

Sunday, December 28, 2008, 2:30-4:30 pm
Almaden Lake Park, San Jose
Coleman Road & Almaden Expressway
Hiking with friend by Almaden Lake &
Los Alamitos Creek Trail (Map, Photos)

View of lake and creek
so hike is fun with paved
trail instead of mud. Sunday, December 28, 2008, 3:09 pm
Almaden Lake Park, San Jose
(Bay Area Hiker Notes, Photos)
Walk on Los Alamitos Creek Trail
Colorful tree at end of Crossview Court

Red, orange, yellow
leaves sing on this tree—
a symphony of colors.

Sunday, December 28, 2008, 8:00-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Friend invites me to her condo
to watch film on television: "Peter Pan" (2003)
directed by P. J. Hogan, starring Jeremy Sumpter (Peter) Rachel Hurd-Wood (Wendy), and
Jason Isaacs (Captain Hook & George Darling)

Tinker Bell's pixie dust
will make you fly to
Peter Pan's Neverland. Sunday, December 28, 2008, 10:00-11:00 pm
Mountain View: Friend invites me to her condo
to watch TV-film: "The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns" (1999) directed by John Henderson
, starring Randy Quaid, Whoopi Goldberg
Daniel Betts & Caroline Carver

Leprechauns flying
like the fairies as well as
the Grand Wizard.

Monday, December 29, 2008, 8:18-8:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in F, BWV1048 (1713)
(Listen), CD, YouTube, Notes

Phrygian cadence
in second movement reminds
me of Dante's cap. Monday, December 29, 2008, 9:32-9:40 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Serenade for Strings in C: Waltz, Op. 48 (1880)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Tchaikovsky composed
Serenade for Strings in C
when he was joyful.

Monday, December 29, 2008, 3:00-5:00 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Writing poem: "Four Wands Blown by the Winds"
on eucalyptus seed pod nuts on Galvez Street

Venus and New Moon
shine like star & crescent
in pale blue evening sky. Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 6:05 pm
Mountain View: San Antonio Rd & El Camino
While waiting for Bus #40, I see
a beautiful crescent New Moon

New Moon is lovely—
its crescent singing tonight
"Sliver of Silver".

Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 10:03-10:16 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Bedrich Smetana
Ma Vlast: The Moldau (1874)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

The river surges
onward as we sail aboard
the steamship of life. Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 10:33-10:43 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Antonio Vivaldi
"The Four Seasons: Winter", Op. 8 #4 (1723)
(Listen), CD, YouTube: Sarah Chang

I like Vivaldi's
"Winter" best but this season
is not my favorite.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 5:30 pm
Galvez Street, Stanford University
Took photo of beautiful evening sky
after sunset with Venus shining brightly
above crescent moon by Hoover Tower

Venus and New Moon
shine like star & crescent
in pale blue evening sky. Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 7:00-9:00 pm
Los Altos Library, Los Altos
Meeting with Greg Reppen— He gives me
DVD of "Name of the Rose" to see (Book).
I give him eucalyptus star wand and two poems.

Great to see good friend
at year's end— we chat about
magic of believing.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 8:43-8:51 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Willi Boskovsky
conducts Johann Strauss, Sr.
Radetzky March, Op. 228 (1848)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Overslept an hour—
even the Radetzky March
failed to wake me up. Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 1:00-5:00 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Notes to poem: "Four Wands Blown by the Winds"
Symbolism of eucalyptus seed pod nuts
showing 3, 4, 5, 6 valved capsules

Four wands for my friends—
Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Scientist—
May their wishes come true.