It is not often that I watch a movie that very deeply moves me.
And so I was surprised tonight when watching "Letters from Iwo Jima" to be terribly saddened by the history it was portraying - of men forced from their homes, their wives and children and family, to be put into a position often resulting only in death; of men shooting each other for no reason other than having been told to do so; of men with nothing but the hope of survival.
I can't even imagine what it must have been like. I can only be glad that nobody I've ever known has had to endure a situation like that.
Angaur, Palau Environmental Portraits
13 years ago
2 comments:
Saw your post on another site re: Shima Uta. I am jealous -- ALT in Okinawa, how great is that! I too am a JET in my 11th month in Japan (Saitama, so near Tokyo, which is great -- but not as great as Okinawa).
My newest hobby is rewriting Japanese song lyrics in English (based on literal translations) so they fit the melody and have some poetic quality, so I thought I would post my version of Shima Uta (Island Song). There's a version for each gender, depending on your preference!
Island Song (Shima Uta)
- English adaptation by Peter McCamus
(for woman to sing to/about man)
Deigo flowers blossoming in spring
Call the wind with all its strength and storms it brings
Deigo flowers blossoming in rows
Conjure up our memories of long ago
First love started here only to recede
Like repeated waves of sadness on the sea
Oooh in the forest blue
Uji trees surrounding you
We met when we were both green
And soon parted ‘neath those trees
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
Bringing rain but never snow
Like my tears they go with you
Deigo blossoms falling to the ground
As the ocean trembles with its soothing sound
Fleeting joy like those petals cresting waves
When a boy tells you he loves you in the shade
Of the Uji trees again
First as strangers, faster friends
Singing lullabies so sweet
‘Fore a voyage and a sleep
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
To the sea and God I pray, see him safely on his way
And if fortune smiles, bring him back some winter’s day
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
Bringing rain but never snow
Like my tears they go with you
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
(for man to sing to/about woman)
Deigo flowers blossoming in spring
Call the wind with all its strength and storms it brings
Deigo flowers blossoming in rows
Conjure up our memories of long ago
First love started here only to recede
Like repeated waves of sadness on the sea
Oooh in the forest blue
Uji trees surrounding you
We met when we were both green
And soon parted ‘neath those trees
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
Bringing rain but never snow
Like my tears they go with you
Deigo blossoms falling to the ground
As the ocean trembles with its soothing sound
Fleeting joy like those petals cresting waves
When a girl tells you she loves you in the shade
Of the Uji trees again
First as strangers, faster friends
Singing lullabies so sweet
‘Fore a voyage and a sleep
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
To the sea and God I pray, see her safely on her way
And if fortune smiles, bring her back some winter’s day
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
Bringing rain but never snow
Like my tears they go with you
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
Island Song, ride the wind where it will go
With the birds and you will know
What awaits you ‘cross the sea
Island Song, ride the wind where it may lead
With the birds to give you speed
And take my love along with you
In a strange coincidence I just finished watching "Letters from Iwo Jima" yesterday and also found it quite moving. I'd been in a "good but not great" movie rut lately, so I was glad to pop out of it with Mr. Eastwood's flick.
Glancing down to your previous post, go with the lute, Vaughn. Don't you think if you put your mind to it you could become one stellar lute player -- achieving, naturally, both fame and fortune.
Glad to read that your JET experiences are going by-in-large well. I'm back in STL now, working at Wash U nonetheless.
Continued living and learning to you,
Bob
Post a Comment