Haikus: September 2008

HAIKUS: September 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, September 1, 2008, 10:28-10:31 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Franz von Suppé,
Light Cavalry Overture (1866)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Light Cavalry Overture
wakes me up this morning
to go out and hike. Monday, September 1, 2008, 11:00 pm-2:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
George Noory interviews Dolores Cannon
"Lost Knowledge & Past Lives"

In reincarnations
we can become animals,
plants and even rocks.

Monday, September 1, 2008, 1:18 pm
Thornewood Open Space Preserve
Old La Honda Road, Woodside
Thornewood Hike & Haikus

The creek is dried up
but the tall redwoods welcome
me in on this hike. Monday, September 1, 2008, 1:55 pm
Thornewood Open Space Preserve
Dennis Martin Creek, Ravine crossing
Thornewood Hike & Haikus

I cross this ravine
with great care like a babe
just learning to walk.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 10:52-11:05 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Frederic Chopin,
Polonaise in A-flat major "Heroic", Op. 53, (1842)
(Listen), CD, YouTube: Horowitz

Find the Little Engine
that could and you've discovered
the Hero within! Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 1:03-1:32 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Franz Joseph Haydn,
Symphony #94 in G major (1787)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

"Surprise me!" she said—
so Zeus showed Himself at last
in all His Glory!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 1:38-1:52 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Maurice Ravel,
Bolero (1928),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Each vantage point is
different depending on
where you are standing. Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 7:30-11:25 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto, Cecil B. DeMille
directs "The Ten Commandments" (1956)
starring Charlton Heston & Yul Brynner

Contrast in character—
Moses & Ramses— Humble thyself
and God will help you.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 12:34-12:40 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hamilton Harty
An Irish Symphony: Fair-Day (1924)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Children with balloons,
cotton candy, ferris wheel rides—
State Fair crowd is here! Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 12:52-1:01 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Henry Purcell
King Arthur: Overture (1691)
(Listen), CD, (YouTube)

The knights have gathered
at King Arthur's Round Table
in Quest for the Grail.

Thursday, September 4, 2008, 10:04-10:16 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludwig van Beethoven,
Symphony #6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" (1808)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Music playing for
an hour before Beethoven's
Pastoral wakes me up. Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:11-11:16 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Frederic Chopin,
Nocturne #8 in D-flat, Op. 27 #2, (1835)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Chopin's Eighth Nocturne
so soothing for listening
as I eat my brunch.

Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:00 pm-2:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
George Noory interviews Dr. Bruce Lipton
"Cells & Subconscious Programming"

We're made of trillion
of cells— community of
intelligent beings. Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:00 pm-2:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
George Noory interviews Dr. Bruce Lipton
"Cells & Subconscious Programming"

Our subconscious mind
has been programmed since childhood—
time to rewrite it!

Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:24-9:40 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hilary Hahn plays
Johann Sebastian Bach
(Listen), (CD) YouTube
Violin Concerto #2 in E major, BWV 1042 (1723)

Bach is a master—
that's why his music always
inspires us upward. Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:52-9:58 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: András Schiff plays
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata #20 in G-major, Op. 49 #2, (1796)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Beethoven is not
hurried but quite calm
composing his sonatas.

Friday, September 5, 2008, 1:20 pm
Green Library, Stanford University, Reading
"Does Memory Reside Outside the Brain?"
(By Leonardo Vintiñi, Epoch Times, 9-3-2008)

Our brain's like a radio
transmitting memories stored
in outer space fields. Friday, September 5, 2008, 1:45 pm
Green Library , Stanford University, Reading
"For the Brain, Remembering Is Like Reliving"
(By Benedict Carey, New York Times, 9-5-2008)

Memory resides
in brain cells when neurons
fire in recalling events.

Friday, September 5, 2008, 3:30-5:00 pm
Green Library East Wing, Stanford University
William Saroyan Centennial Celebration
Herbert Gold tells of his friendship with Saroyan

Gold was in 6th grade
in Cleveland when Saroyan
visited his school. Friday, September 5, 2008, 5:30-6:30 pm
Kresge Auditorium, Stanford University
Saroyan Centennial Celebration: Premier of
Saroyan & Alan Hovhaness, "Girakgi Picnic"

Just discovered in
Saroyan archive, this piece
of exuberant music!

Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:30 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers' Poetry Reading
Tom Digby reads two haikus "Bubbly Surprise"

Warm night breeze inspires
Impromptu celebration:
Bubbles by moonlight. Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:35 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers' Poetry Reading
I read "Courting Remembrance" and "Orange"

Read two response poems
written this summer for poets
at Waverley Writers.

Friday, September 5, 2008, 8:45 pm
Friends' House, 957 Colorado, Palo Alto
Waverley Writers' Poetry Reading Break:
Patrick Daly points to Scorpius and I point
to Summer Triangle of Deneb (Cygnus),
Altair (Aquila) and Vega (Lyra) above us

Swan and Eagle fly
toward each other in the night's
Summer Triangle. Friday, September 5, 2008, 10:00 pm
Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto
After Waverley Writers' Poetry Reading,
Tom "Bubbles" Digby gives me ride home
as we watch the August Crescent Moon
looming like a giant on the horizon

Jumbo Crescent Moon
just above the horizon—
Jump and I'll touch it!

Saturday, September 6, 2008, 8:37-8:44 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Cello Concerto #3 in A major (Wq 172) (1753)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Stardust kept me sleeping
but C.P.E. Bach's lively
music woke me up! Saturday, September 6, 2008, 9:03-9:17 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Strauss, Jr.
"Roses from the South Waltz", Op. 388, (1880)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

A pensive waltz from
Queen's Lace Handkerchief
with a drumroll finale.

Saturday, September 6, 2008, 2:34 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
While reading about Ramses the Great,
learned Terence Gray was an Egyptologist

He failed as playwright
and succeeded not on stage
but as enlightened sage! Saturday, September 6, 2008, 2:45 pm
Stanford Green Library: I walk 55 steps to find
Paul Cornwell's "Only By Failure: The Many
Faces of the Impossible Life of Terence Gray"

Next the Phoebe Gray's
The Golden Lamp, I find my
treasure— Wei Wu Wei!

Sunday, September 7, 2008, 11:24-11:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Herbert von Karajan
conducts Pietro Mascagni,
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo (1889)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Some tender moments
in this opera of lovers
boiling with turmoil. Sunday, September 7, 2008, 11:53 am-12:06 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
plays Max Bruch,
Violin Concerto #1 in G-minor, Op. 26 (1868)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Bruch's melody of
romantic lyricism
followed by fast dance.

Sunday, September 7, 2008, 1:25 pm
Skyline Boulevard, Bear Gulch Road
Hiking at El Corte de Madera Creek
Gordon Mill Trail South Entrance CM04
Photos of Hike & Haikus

Mailbox #27
with six wooden birds
welcomes me here hiking. Sunday, September 7, 2008, 4:48 pm
Hiking at El Corte de Madera Creek
Timberview Trail, Old Growth Redwood
50 feet circumference at the base
Photos of Hike & Haikus

Platonic Lambda—
Soul of the Universe is
singing at its roots!

Monday, September 8, 2008, 9:17-9:28 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Gioachino Antonio Rossini
The Thieving Magpie: Overture (1817)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Maid found guilty for
stealing spoon, but the real
culprit was a magpie! Monday, September 8, 2008, 10:44-10:59 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludwig van Beethoven
2nd Movement, 9th Symphony (1824)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Beethoven's Choral
Ninth Symphony bursts out
with exuberant joy!

Monday, September 8, 2008, 12:30-2:45 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me
shopping at La Fiesta Market,
Milk Pail, and Safeway

Broccoli, yellow pepper,
bananas, grape tomatoes,
black grapes, radishes,
fish fillets, instant oatmeal. Monday, September 8, 2008, 3:00-3:30 pm
Los Altos Library, Looking at web photos
in the Wei Wu Wei Archives and
finding D.T. Suzuki, Carlos Suarès,
Douglas Harding, Robert Linssen

Birds of the same feathers
flock together, so do minds
of the enlightened ones!

Monday, September 8, 2008, 9:30-9:47 pm
Palm Drive, Stanford University
After hitchhiking for two blocks, Rajib,
a Stanford chemical engineering postdoc
from India gives me a ride home

Those who pick me up
hitchhiking may be tuning
to some hidden strings. Monday, September 8, 2008, 10:00-10:47 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Marin Alsop
conducts Antonin Dvorak, (YouTube)
Symphony #9 in E minor, Op. 95
"From the New World", (1893) (Listen), CD

Native American tunes
inspired this Dvorak
New World Symphony.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 11:14-11:18 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hilary Hahn & Margaret Batjer
play Johann Sebastian Bach, 2nd movement,
Concerto For 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 (1731), (Listen), CD, YouTube

Bach does it again—
I'm swept up by his music
Largo ma non tanto! Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 11:26-11:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Robert Moody
conducts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Magic Flute: "Queen of the Night" aria
K 620, (1791) (Listen), CD, YouTube

Is Queen of the Night
the Moon, the Stars, or Darkness
reigning on the throne?

Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 11:46-11:50 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
plays Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Serenade for Strings:
Waltz in C, Op. 48, (1880), Listen, CD, YouTube

A light lilting waltz
to dance or listen to in
this Strings Serenade. Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 1:00 pm
Galvez Street, Palo Alto
Sitting on bench waiting for
Stanford Shuttle Bus B-clockwise

Bluejay pecks on ground
and flies to lowest oak branch
sitting in the shade.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 10:29-10:40 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Hilary Hahn
plays Nicolo Paganini
Violin Concerto #1 in D major, Op. 6 (1817), (Listen), CD, YouTube

Did he sell his soul?
Paganini played violin
much like the Devil! Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 10:56-11:01 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Anne-Sophie Mutter
plays Giuseppe Tartini,
Violin Sonata in G minor "Devil's Trill"
(Listen), CD, YouTube: Itzhak Perlman

Tartini wrote this Trill
after dreaming of Devil
playing the violin.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 12:49-12:55 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Manuel de Falla
La Vida Breve (1913),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Life is short. Art is long—
Study with diligence
to make art your life. Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 2:08 pm
Serra Grove, Stanford University
Visit to Boo-Qwilla Totem Pole & see
three giant crows together (Macbeth ?)

Three giant crows gathered
here— three witches waiting for
thunder, lightning, and rain.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 3:00 pm
Stanford University Art Library: Scanning
Wei Wu Wei's "Ask the Awakened" book
bought at Harvard Coop Bookstore,
Harvard Square (circa 1976) for $1.23

Bargain table book
ignored by everyone till
I found it like gold! Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 9:20 pm
Palm Drive, Stanford University
After hitchhiking for a block, Steve Connor,
a Stanford chemistry grad student
gives me a ride to Cal-Train station

I've left chemistry
decades ago, but chemists
pick me up hitchhiking.

Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:15-10:24 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Franz Berwald
Symphony #4 in E-flat major (1845),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Made his living as
orthopedic surgeon so
he could compose music. Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:46-10:51 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Roman Hoffstetter, (Listen), CD,
YouTube, Serenade in C, Andante cantabile (1777)
String Quartets Op. 3, formerly attributed to Haydn

The elves are dancing
in the woods after piling
up a heap of leaves.

Thursday, September 11, 2008, 11:11 am
Riding Bus #22 on El Camino, Palo Alto
Seeing Date/Time Scroll above bus,
reminding me of this tragic date 9/11

9/11 date—
forever engraved in our
collective memory. Thursday, September 11, 2008, 8:00 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Searched web for Terence Gray & Egyptology
and found book he wrote with W.M. Brunton

Terence Gray wrote book
on Egypt with W.M. Brunton—
Did Paul Brunton know this?

Friday, September 12, 2008, 9:46-9:48 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Jean-Yves Thibaudet
plays Frederic Chopin,
Etudes in A-flat major, Op. 25, #1, (1836)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Schumann named this piece
"Aeolian Harp"— shepherd boy
playing on his flute. Friday, September 12, 2008, 10:52-11:00 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludovico Einaudi,
Divenire: Primavera (2007)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube
Recalling Botticelli's "Primavera"

The Three Graces dance,
Mercury brings rain, Spring smiles
for Love is blooming.

Friday, September 12, 2008, 12:48 pm
Waiting for Stanford Shuttle Bus B-cw
A bee lands on my plastic bag containing
books by Paul Brunton and Wei Wu Wei

Bee walks for a minute
on my bag searching not for
honey but for Being! Friday, September 12, 2008, 4:00-6:00 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Web page on "Wei Wu Wei: Open Secret"
and finding link to Paul Brunton

Paul Brunton & Wei Wu Wei—
both searched in Egypt
and found enlightenment!

Saturday, September 13, 2008, 9:09-9:26 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ludwig van Beethoven,
Symphony #3 in Eb, Op. 55 "Eroica" (1803)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Terence Gray became
Wei Wu Wei and my hero—
this enlightened sage. Saturday, September 13, 2008, 9:09-9:26 am
Mountain View: Ortega Ave & El Camino Real
Waiting for Bus #22 heading for Stanford
and seeing clouds after 7 days of clear skies

After seven days
of clear blue skies— finally
strays of ghostly clouds.

Saturday, September 13, 2008, 8:24 pm
Mountain View: Latham St. & Showers Drive
Waiting for Bus #35 to Palo Alto & seeing
Harvest Moon (Full Moon of September)

Harvest Moon— two days
from full shines straight down
my street onto Showers Drive. Saturday, September 13, 2008, 8:45-11:55 pm
Palo Alto: Cubberley Center, Gym A
Ballroom dancing: James Kleinrath
teaches intermediate waltz

Reverse turn, chassez,
open natural, pivot turn,
right step back and close.

Sunday, September 14, 2008, 10:41-10:56 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Felix Mendelssohn,
Symphony #2 in B flat major, Op. 52
"Song of Praise" (1840), Listen, CD, YouTube

All that have life and breath,
Praise the Lord O ye Spirit—
Let's sing with praise! Sunday, September 14, 2008, 11:22-11:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Sebastian Bach,
Orchestral Suite #3 in D major, BWV 1068 (1731)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Heavenly music
by Bach uplifts me—
this Air on G string.

Sunday, September 14, 2008, 1:45 pm
Purisima Creek Redwoods, Skyline Boulevard
Santa Cruz Mountains over Half Moon Bay
Purisima Photos: Hike & Haikus

Here's the entrance to
Purisima Creek Redwoods—
Let's hike to purify! Sunday, September 14, 2008, 3:30 pm
Purisima Creek Redwoods, Soda Gulch Trail
Fallen Douglas Fir looks like a wounded bull
Purisima Photos: Hike & Haikus

Fallen Douglas Fir
on the path like wounded bull
with its horns held high.

Monday, September 15, 2008, 9:39-9:44 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Paul Schoenfield,
Souvenir #2 (1989)
Listen, CD, YouTube

Dining in a fine
restaurant, a violinist
may play you this tune. Monday, September 15, 2008, 10:31-10:37 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Claude Debussy,
L'isle joyeuse, "Isle of Joy" (1904)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Island of sanity—
Away from mainland madness
peaceful calm at last.

Monday, September 15, 2008, 1:30 pm
San Antonio Road, Mountain View
Friend takes me grocery shopping
at La Fiesta Super Market

Baby bok choy, bananas,
broccoli, cauliflower,
green onions, radishes. Monday, September 15, 2008, 11:00 pm-2:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
George Noory interviews Robert Bauval
"Mysteries of the Giza Plateau"

Giza Pyramids—
not Pharoahs' tombs but
alignments to Orion galaxy.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 9:00-9:07 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Sonata for Violin & Piano #18 in G, K. 301 (1777)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Mozart wrote home to
his sister and Dad to play
this piece he just wrote. Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 10:38-10:44 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Sir Edward Elgar,
Pomp and Circumstance March #4 in G (1907)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Hold your head up high
as you march to Sir Elgar's
Pomp and Circumstance.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 1:00 pm
On Bus #22, El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Blind man gets on bus with black labrador

Black seeing-eye dog
rests calmly under bus seat
by its master's legs. Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 2:00-4:45 pm
Art Library, Stanford University
Formatting photos of Purisima hike

Resizing photos of
Sunday's Purisima hike
on Soda Gulch Trail.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 11:00 pm-2:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM
George Noory interviews Paul Von Ward
"The Science of Reincarnation"

From past lives and our
soul genome, we inherit
our present traits & skills. Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 2:00 am
Home in Mountain View reflecting
on Paul Von Ward's "Reincarnation"
and recalling insights of sages

Reincarnation is a lollipop
for babies but not for sages
who live in the Eternal.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 9:00-9:07 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Serenade No. 13 in G major, K 525
"Eine kleine Nachtmusik" (1787)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

They're playing Mozart's
A Little Night Music when
it's time to wake up! Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 9:43-9:52 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Sarah Chang
plays Camille Saint-Saëns,
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 (1863)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Violin strings under
a master's hands can whisk us
to heavenly heights.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 10:26-10:32 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Georg Christoph Wagenseil,
Harp Concerto in G (18th century)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Fra Angelico's
Angels are dancing in joy
to this harp music. Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 10:32-10:38 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Claude Debussy,
Suite bergamasque: Clair de Lune (1903)
(Listen), (CD) YouTube

Moon is a symbol
for our mind's journey from
emptiness to fullness.

Thursday, September 18, 2008, 11:24-11:32 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: John Dowland,
Dances from "Lachrimae"
("Seaven Teares") "Flow My Tears" (1604)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Flow my tears, fall from your springs!
Night's black bird sadly sings
that bright hope is gone. Thursday, September 18, 2008, 1:00-1:32 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Lang Lang
plays Frederic Chopin,
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, (1830)
(Listen) CD, YouTube

Chopin wrote this piece
when he was just twenty—
a young talent was born.

Friday, September 19, 2008, 9:00-10:00 am
Home in Mountain View sleeping and dreaming
while KDFC played classical music on the radio.
Dream: Mom watching a Nature program on TV

Music played for an hour
but could not lure me from
my dreams to wakefulness. Friday, September 19, 2008, 1:00-1:30 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Franz Joseph Haydn,
Symphony #101 in G major (1787)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

The clock ticks on as
planets move around the sun
to the cosmic beat.

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 8:58-9:04 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Joshua Bell plays
Antonio Vivaldi (Listen), CD, YouTube
"The Four Seasons: Spring" (1723)

Autumn Equinox
is here— and they're playing
Vivaldi's tunes of Spring! Saturday, September 20, 2008, 9:55-10:01 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Evgeny Kissin plays
Johannes Brahms, Hungarian Dances (1872)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Someone toasted Brahms—
"To the greatest composer"
and Brahms said "Mozart!".

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 10:30 am-12:10 pm
Los Altos Library, Los Altos
Exploring new interface on computer
for % reduction of page printouts

Finally I find
the option for custom
printing— what a delight! Saturday, September 20, 2008, 1:06 pm
Showers Drive, Mountain View
Stanford Shopping Express Shuttle
Packed bus of shopping students

Stanford Shuttle Bus—
Fifteen minutes late loading
lots of shopping students.

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 6:30-6:34 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Dmitri Shostakovich
"Jazz Suite #2" (1938)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

A light lively waltz
to dance to— Second Jazz Suite
of Shostakovich. Saturday, September 20, 2008, 7:04-7:19 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1919)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Here's my fantasy—
Seeing the birth of our earth
and this universe.

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 8:45-11:55 pm
Cubberley Pavilion, Palo Alto
James Kleinrath teaches quickstep.
While dancing, Sarah asks me a question
from the ending of a Mary Oliver poem

Tell me, what is it
you plan to do with the
rest of your wild life? Sunday, September 21, 2008, 12:55 am
Home in Mountain View pondering on
Sarah & Mary Oliver's question & recalling
Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are
& Emily Dickinson's Poem #249 "Wild Nights"

What would you do with
the rest of your wild life?—
Go where the wild things are!

Sunday, September 21, 2008, 10:21-10:25 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: James Ehnes
plays Max Bruch,
Scottish Fantasy in E-flat major, Op. 46 (1880)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Let me fantasize
soaring faster than light
around the universe. Sunday, September 21, 2008, 10:39-10:45 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: James Galway
plays Gabriel Faure
Pavane in F-sharp minor, Op. 50 (1887)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

On the train touring
France's Loire Valley where grapes
are harvested for wine.

Sunday, September 21, 2008, 11:46-11:49 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Xue-Fei Yang
plays Narciso Yepes Romance for Guitar,
Forbidden Games (1952)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

The most touching film
I've seen— two war orphans
having just each other. Sunday, September 21, 2008, 11:49-11:56 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Arabella Steinbacher
plays Isaac Albéniz
Tango, Op. 165 #2 (1892)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Romantic tango
to dance to with your favorite
partner through the night.

Sunday, September 21, 2008, 1:05 pm
Vista Point, Highway 9: Near
Skyline to the Sea Trail Entrance
Skyline to the Sea Hike & Haikus

Green Douglas Firs watch
mountain range where milky fog
dances with blue sky. Sunday, September 21, 2008, 1:25-6:20 pm
South Long Ridge, San Mateo County
Skyline to the Sea Trail Entrance
Skyline to the Sea Hike & Haikus

Such a romantic name—
Skyline Trail to the Sea—
Will this be a treat?

Sunday, September 21, 2008, 8:25-10:30 pm
Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University
Stanford Flicks: Iron Man (2008) (Comics)
starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow,
Jeff Bridges. Directed by Jon Favreau

Weapon designer
becomes Iron Man bringing
justice to the world. Sunday, September 21, 2008, 10:35 pm-1:30 am
Stanford Oval: David L. Chen (who picked me up
hitchhiking months ago) calls out my name and
gives me ride home. We chat for two & half hours
about creativity, meditation, and enlightenment

The enlightened sage gains
nothing new except losing
his old ego self.

Monday, September 22, 2008, 10:52-11:04 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker: Waltz of the Snowflakes, (1892), Listen, CD, YouTube

Snowflakes waltzing as
they fall from heaven to earth—
what fun they're having! Monday, September 22, 2008, 11:31-11:41 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Claude Debussy
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1894)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Debussy's Preludes
stretches tonality to
its outermost limits.

Monday, September 22, 2008, 7:00-11:55 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Autumnal Equinox greetings to friends
and emails on Wei Wu Wei's Open Secret
Autumnal Equinox, 9/22/2008, 15:44 UT

Sun is directly
above earth's equator—
day and night are equal. Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 3:00-5:00 am
KSFO 560 AM: Coast-to-Coast AM: George Noory
interviews Frank Wilczek, 2004 Physics Nobelist,
"Physics, Space & Being"
Book: "Lightness of Being"

Space is a grid with
dark energy. Humans are
transitional forms to "gods".

Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 11:14-11:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Midori
plays Max Bruch,
Scottish Fantasy in E-flat major, Op. 46 (1880)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

"Hey Tuttie Tatie"—
Scottish folk melodies got
me dancing with elves. Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 1:04-1:50 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Bernard Haitink
conducts Ludwig van Beethoven,
Symphony #6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" (1808)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Beethoven's summer
vacation— riding around
Viennese countryside.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 12:29-12:33 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Midori
plays Sir Edward Elgar,
Salut d'amour, Op. 12 (1888)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Let's salute to Love—
May Cupid's arrow bless us
with more compassion. Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 1:03-1:30 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Fazil Say
plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Piano Concerto #21 in C, K. 467 (1785)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Bach's Fifth Cello Suite
and this piece was played during
Marcel Marceau's funeral.

Thursday, September 25, 2008, 10:03-10:10 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Pachelbel,
Canon in D (1680)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Sit and relax
to this monk's reverie of
a mind full of peace. Thursday, September 25, 2008, 10:10-10:22 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Paul Dukas,
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1897)
(Listen), CD, YouTube: Fantasia

I see broomsticks with
buckets of water and
Mickey trying to stop them.

Thursday, September 25, 2008, 10:48-10:57 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Remo Giazotto
used a fragment of Tomasso Albinoni
to compose Adagio in G minor (1958),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Out of earthly destruction
from the air came this
heavenly music. Thursday, September 25, 2008, 11:15-11:25 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Lang Lang
plays Frederic Chopin,
Étude #3 in E, Op. 10 (1832)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Slow cantabile study—
Chopin's tone poem on
sorrow that's so sweet.

Thursday, September 25, 2008, 2:40-4:30 pm
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Carlos
"Poetry and the Mighty Oak" Hike
Docents Ed Lange & Benita Rashall
Photos of Hike & Haikus

A symphonic poem
of colors— Green Live Oak
side by side with Blue Oak. Thursday, September 25, 2008, 2:40-4:30 pm
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Carlos
"Poetry and the Mighty Oak" Hike
Docents Ed Lange & Benita Rashall
Photos of Hike & Haikus

Lovely two-hour hike
seeing these majestic oaks
and reading tree poems.

Friday, September 26, 2008, 8:53-9:00 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Charles Dutoit
conducts Franz von Suppé,
Light Cavalry Overture (1866)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Bugle call wakes me—
Parade of life marches on—
Jump in and enjoy! Friday, September 26, 2008, 9:02-9:13 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: John O'Conor
plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Piano Concerto #23 in A, K. 488 (1786)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Recall Rubinstein
playing this Concerto on
my old LP record.

Friday, September 26, 2008, 10:22-10:24 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Leonard Bernstein
conducts Sergei Prokofiev,
Love for Three Oranges: March (1924)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

The cursed prince searching
for three oranges— each one
turning to princess! Friday, September 26, 2008, 3:00-5:00 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Composing web page for Frank Wilczek
after reading his "Lightness of Being" title
Dante's Paradiso I.91-105: Lightness of Being

Dante had lightness
of being— soaring faster than
lightning to his home.

Friday, September 26, 2008, 7:30-9:00 pm
Kepler's Books, Menlo Park: Frank Wilczek
talk "Anticipating a New Golden Age"
& book signing "The Lightness of Being" (2008)

His CERN T-shirt shows
protons colliding head-on
near the speed of light! Saturday, September 27, 2008, 11:50 am
391 San Antonio Road, Mountain View:
Friend takes me grocery shopping
at La Fiesta Super Market

Bananas, broccoli,
baby bok choy, radishes,
green onions, black grapes.

Saturday, September 27, 2008, 9:20-9:24 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Midori
plays Sir Edward Elgar,
Salut d'amour, Op. 12 (1888)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

In the garden green—
Cupid running with his net
catching butterflies! Saturday, September 27, 2008, 9:24-9:29 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Raymond Leppard
conducts Henry Purcell,
Old Bachelor Suite, Z. 607 (1691)
(Listen), CD

Life is passing by—
The old yogi smiles in bliss,
timeless in his trance.

Saturday, September 27, 2008, 9:43-9:51 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Evgeny Kissin
plays Frederic Chopin,
Mazurkas, Op. 33 #2, Op. 59 #3, Op. 30 #3
(Listen), CD, YouTube (composed 1836-1845)

Chopin's Mazurkas
soothing for listening
and smooth for dancing. Saturday, September 27, 2008, 10:00-10:18 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Jon Nakamatsu
plays George Gershwin,
Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

When he was stood up,
Gershwin said "I'd be mad if
I wasn't so busy!"

Sunday, September 28, 2008, 10:18-10:23 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Midori plays Peter Tchaikovsky
Souvenir d'un lieu cher, Op. 42 #3, Mélodie (1878)
Listen CD, YouTube

Midori plays Tchaikovsky—
Violin is best way
to convey sadness. Sunday, September 28, 2008, 10:52-11:02 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Gordon Hunt plays
Domenico Zipoli, Elevazione "Ascension" (1716)
(Listen) CD, YouTube

If heaven is here,
there is nowhere to ascend
for everywhere is bliss!

Sunday, September 28, 2008, 1:30 pm
Stanford Cubberley School of Education
Oak Tree with a giant hole in its trunk
Photo of Cubberley Oak

Passed this oak for years
and just saw its beauty—
O how lovely it is! Sunday, September 28, 2008, 1:30 pm
Stanford Cubberley School of Education
Oak Tree with a giant hole in its trunk
Photo of Cyclops Oak

This one-eyed Live Oak
is a Cyclops teaching me
to be one-minded.

Sunday, September 28, 2008, 8:30 pm
Green Library, Stanford University
Found Mary Oliver's poem "The Summer Day"
with question Sarah asked me while ballroom
dancing on Sept. 20 at Cubberley Pavilion

Tell me, what is it
you plan to do with your one
wild and precious life? Sunday, September 28, 2008, 10:00-11:40 pm
Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University
Stanford Flicks: Andrew Stanton directs
WALL-E (2008) starring Ben Burtt,
Elissa Knight, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Garlin

Computer-animated
Sci-Fi film of robots
WALL-E & EVE in love.

Monday, September 29, 2008, 10:11-10:22 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Charles Mackerras
conducts Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,
"Scheherazade", Op. 35 (1888)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Exotic music
for Arabian princess from
1001 Nights. Monday, September 29, 2008, 2:11-2:19 pm
KDFC 102.1 FM: Maurizio Pollini
plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Piano Concerto #21 in C, K. 467 (1785)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Elvira Madigan
made this Mozart concerto
famous for lovers.

Monday, September 29, 2008, 9:53 am
Mountain View: From my balcony saw
tallest Redwood topple across the street
at Hastings Square on Ortega Avenue.

After waking up—
opened my door just in time
to see the tree fall! Monday, September 29, 2008, 10:30 am
Mountain View: Hastings Square
400 Ortega Avenue. Seeing demise
of the tallest tree on our street (Photos)

Tallest and oldest
neighbor has died— chopped off
by the giant South Bay Crane.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 10:48-11:07 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Maurice Ravel,
Bolero (1928),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Ravel's Bolero
repeating themes now diagnosed
as case of dementia! Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:29-11:35 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,
Swan Lake: Dances, Op. 20, (1876)
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Most popular dance
in ballet is Tchaikovsky's
fairy tale— Swan Lake.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:35-11:42 am
KDFC 102.1 FM: Johann Nepomuk Hummel,
Piano Trio #1 in E flat major, Op. 12 (1803),
(Listen), CD, YouTube

Child prodigy taught
by Mozart, friend of Goethe,
Schiller, Beethoven. Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 4:30-4:44 pm
Showers Drive, Mountain View
Waiting for Stanford Shopping Express Shuttle
Reading Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are

Sailing with Max to
where the wild things are
and let the wild rumpus start!