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Category Archives: Poetry
D-Day Message by General Eisenhower
I have seen little or no mention in the security community threads today to one of the most noteworthy events in military history. As we twitter about this password breach or that malware scare, I wonder if any benefit would come to take a moment and reflect on past events of June 6th, 1944.
Take a listen or read the carefully phrased words of General Eisenhower at the start of D-Day, when the weather cleared the way for a landing:
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
In the General’s back pocket was another carefully written speech, which fortunately was never needed…
Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone
At the Edge of the Abyss
Tablet Magazine has posted a book review for a new English version of At the Edge of the Abyss: A Concentration Camp Diary, 1943-1944.
Three things mark At the Edge of the Abyss as an utterly distinctive and unique work of Holocaust literature that must be read now that an English-language translation exists. First, the insider account of a camp; second, Koker’s literary and analytic abilities; and third, the only first-person report of an encounter between a Jew and Heinrich Himmler, head Nazi and overseer of all the camps.
[…]
Somehow, Koker also finds beauty inside the physical landscape of the camp. From one poem dated May 17, 1943: “The evening air so pure and intimate/ A sky that’s hazed in whiteness by the sun/ and trees with foliage in great profusion/ with glittering flecks of silver from the sun.†He is also occasionally magnificently insightful. Jan. 6, 1944: “The goal is neither happiness nor unhappiness. It’s the unfolding of human potential. The development of that piece of the universe that you represent, as it were, even when it happens at the expense of what people call the self and their own welfare. Actually, it always happens at their expense. By feeling a lot we expand the world.â€
One of the interesting aspects of the story is how the diary survived. The original documents have been digitised and can be found online at the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, GeheugenVanNederland
Wuti by Li Shangyin
Li Shangyin (義山) was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). He wrote in the format of Lu Shi — eight lines of five or seven words each.
Exposition (qi) was called for in the first two lines; the development of the theme (cheng), in parallel verse structure, in the middle, or second and third, couplets; and the conclusion (he) in the final couplet.
Hundreds of Shangyin poems may be called “Wuti” (無題 – Untitled). It makes for an interesting challenge to select one to read. With that in mind, here is one such “Untitled” poem: number 215 from “300 Tang Poems” as posted online by the Chinese Text Initiative of the University of Virginia
嚙諛剁蕭嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙瞌嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙璀
嚙瘤嚙踝蕭嚙盤嚙瞌嚙褊迎蕭嚙豎。
嚙皺嚙踝蕭嚙趣死嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙褕，
嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙褒淚嚙締嚙踝蕭嚙瘠
嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙確嚙踝蕭嚙皺嚙踝蕭嚙璀
嚙稽嚙線嚙踝蕭覺嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙瘡嚙瘠
嚙踝蕭嚙豌佗蕭嚙篁嚙盤嚙篁嚙踝蕭嚙璀
嚙瘠嚙踝蕭嚙踝蕭嚙諂穿蕭嚙踝蕭嚙豎。
Here is my translation:
The time since she left is hard to bear,
as flowers wither after they lose their petals to the east wind.
Only in death do spring worms stop weaving silk;
as candles provide light while they cry themselves into ash.
Clouds in the early morning mirror reflect her hair changing colour,
the chant of the month feels cold in moonlight.
Magic mountain is near when you see no more road,
pay attention green bird and carry her message to me.
For reference, here is the Google Translate output
When you meet difficult Bie Yinan,
the Dongfeng weakness flowers residues.
Till death do us part,
wax torch ashes tears dry.
Xiao-Jing but worry shallow change,
night Yin should feel the moonlight cold.
Penglai this multi-channel,
Bluebird attentive to peek.
And here is the translation by Witter Bynner.
Time was long before I met her, but is longer since we parted,
and the east wind has arisen and a hundred flowers are gone.
And the silk-worms of spring will weave until they die,
and every night the candles will weep their wicks away.
Mornings in her mirror she sees her hair-cloud changing,
yet she dares the chill of moonlight with her evening song.
…It is not so very far to her Enchanted Mountain,
O blue-birds, be listening!-Bring me what she says!