Emile Tubiana
Ma terre natale

Beja, Tunisise

« Vous voyez ces plaines! Elles sont une partie de moi-même et moi je suis une partie d'elles! » Puis : « Elles sont sacrées ». Ces champs et ces plaines restent toujours ma terre natale, comme pour un Français les Vosges ou la vallée du Rhône, comme pour un Allemand la Rhénanie ou la Westphalie. Et vous, habitants de cette noble cité, mes voisins, mes amis, vous qui êtes nés de la même terre, nos familles ont vécu des siècles sous le même ciel, nous avons dégusté ensemble l’air pur de nos plaines, de nos montagnes et de nos collines, nous avons été bercés par le même amour que nos grands-mères et nos grands-pères ont su nous transmettre. Ils nous ont enrichis du patrimoine spirituel accumulé de génération en génération pendant des siècles. Je ne me souviens pas de vos noms ni de vos visages, mais je sais qui vous êtes, que vous soyez vivants ou dans l’au-delà, je vous reconnaîtrai de si loin, car vous êtes les grains de cette même terre que moi, et je vous aime inconditionnellement. Vous allez me dire:

« Pourquoi vous nous avez quittés, juste lorsque nous avions le plus besoin de vous? » Je vous répondrai:

« C’est ma destinée qui a voulu me conduire et me forger afin que je découvre les valeurs de nos ancêtres et de l’amour. Sans cette destinée je serais comme une bougie sans la flamme qui nous éclaire et qui nous anime, tout simplement un homme sans vie. Peu importe si vous m’aimiez ou pas et si vous appartenez à une religion ou à une autre. Le fait que vous êtes nés de la même terre, vous êtes de la même graine que moi, et rien au monde ne pourra changer l’empreinte spéciale qui nous distingue de tout le monde et qui fait de nous le bagi (le béjaois). Que nous soyons proche ou loin de notre de notre terre natale, ce n’est qu’elle qui pourra nous fertiliser et nous rendre ce que nous devons être, des ‘Êtres Humains’. Un pigeon voyageur retrouvera toujours la direction et l’endroit où il est né. C’est un aimant qui nous relie à notre terre, indépendamment de notre raison, de notre religion ou de la couleur de notre passeport. Certains l’appellent attachement à la patrie. Quelle idée? Moi je l’appelle tout simplement l’amour. »

Comment:

Emile, ya khouya el'ghali, ya Aziz!!

Tes paroles me touchent au plus profond de mon âme...
En effet, Rien n'est plus cher et plus unique que la terre qui nous a vu naître, et qui nous a bercé et nourri de son amour tellement humble et généreux, mais si beau et si profond!
Je veux remercier en toi, l'´Ami et le Fils de cette belle terre natale commune, pour tous les sentiments que tu éveilles en nous, et qui reflètent ce côté inébranlable et indéniable, qui a fait de nous ce que nous sommes, aujourd'hui.

Encore Merci!
Amitiés tunisiennes


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Exploring the World of Children.

Exploring the World of Children.

Our space ships went to the moon
We may explore another planet soon
But a fact remains, we'll discover Mars
And are far from discovering our hearts

Everyone can explore the children’s world,
Theirs is not as remote as we thought
We have to forget that we are adults
If we want to get some results

But one condition: we have to be children again
In their world, there are no dispute, no complaint
It’s easier, as there’s no need for perfection
For money, for education, for baggage or connection

So simple: we have to think plainly, it’s never late
To free ourselves from all the burden and weight
We must be true and honest to ourselves
And revisit what’s on our shelves

There is no hierarchy in childhood roles
Being part of the game is one of the goals

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Monday, April 26, 2010

Peace and Tolerance

Peace and Tolerance


We believe that with love and tolerance
In the right direction we should advance
With all what in this life we do,
In spite of the tension we go through,
With all the criticism and the fight,
We should never lose sight,
That after darkness comes the light
And that the human race will unite
Will have to amalgamate
As this is the human fate.

This way we will be born anew
But ready are always a few
The goal is still very far
From the place where we are
Some signs can be seen
If we can carefully glean
They are reassuring,
Our faith is enduring
This is our motto today
Tomorrow it is our way

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Fear

Fear

We are born with a tear
We start Life with pain and fear
The shock we get at birth
Makes us think if it is worth

Being pushed left and right
Confronting our first day light
Breathing for the first time, air
Fighting the fear who will dare?

When we first came here
We didn’t know about fear
Watching, feeling, not one word
Screaming, crying to get heard

Using patience without end
We sometimes have to pretend
Not knowing how to speak
We could only wait and peek

As a baby we can’t fight our fear
We have to accept what we hear
Parents are saying, they will grow
Their pain will soon have to go

Later they will learn to be free
Master their fears, not flee
Once they realize who they are
Their will see how they came so far

Knowing to dive and mastering this art
They find themselves deep in their heart
Human beings always strive
To survive and to find Life.

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Friday, April 23, 2010

Expressions of Life

Expressions of Life


We are amazed when we see man’s creation
Are we wondering when we see nature's?
Thinking of nature and ourselves, we may find
The meaning of life and its beauty.

During childhood we feel without thinking,
Without understanding what happens to us.
When we think we understood life,
We realize that we didn’t understand a thing..

When we see something completely new,
Do we know that it is just a tiny portion of life?
Like the breeze, which we feel without seeing it;
The music, we hear, without seeing its waves.

We feel the love, the sadness and the pain,
Which penetrate us for no apparent reason.
Not knowing their substance, meaning, or sources.
All these are the real expressions of life,

Which we perceive through our feelings.
Some discover their meaning and what they hold
Others are completely indifferent to them.
Is this why we don’t understand each other?

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Gracefulness

Whether we like a person or not, we ought to be respectful.


Gracefulness

I did not vote for Obama
But I was educated to respect my elders.
Today Obama bowed before the Emperor of Japan and his wife.
I felt that this was an appropriate gesture from Obama.
This is a sign of respect for an elder man and his lady,
Even when representing a smaller country.
If the US wants to be respected among other nations
We have to first and foremost be polite, respectful, and graceful.
“The greatness of a party does not depend on the size of the land           
Nor on the number of its inhabitants, but on the quality of the people”*  Mendes France
We should not forget that Obama is our President.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

God Bless America

Prayer for our country and its citzens


God Bless America

We speculate about tomorrow
Will there be joy or sorrow
George Bush went ahead
When to the congress he said

Stop sleeping and dreaming
About our vanished loved ones
Cowardly killed and burned
So that a lesson may be learned

We should stay alert
So no one will get hurt
Fight evil the unwanted guest
Who is defiling our nest

Say good bye to the heroes
Who left us at Ground Zero
Look at the children and the weak
And at those who cannot speak

George Bush was definitely right
To be safe we have to fight
Using wisdom and intelligence
Technology, art and science

Surrounded by the three creeds
He was trying to sow good seeds
For Christianity, Judaism and Islam
Inviting cardinal, rabbi and imam

For the future we know with certainty
We are not going to live in misery
America will be strongest again
As we help each other. Amen!

The victory bells will ring anew
Enemies will vanish, that’s true
Let’s not lose our faith in the light
To make our future secure and bright

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana
The author's feelings about coming to earth.


From the Heights

From the Heights I had to fall
To find myself on earth,
I had to pass an unknown wall
From nothingness to birth.

When I first opened my eyes
I found myself in ties
Bundled-up in flesh and blood
Like a wondrous flower’s bud

A droplet of my mother’s milk
Caressed my cheeks like silk.
Then I slowly began to believe
That my former state I had to leave

I didn’t know what happened to me
When the attraction sucked me in
I may have lost the freedom I had
But being on earth made me glad

I entered my elders’ solid matter
Who created for us the ladder
Which for us is a relay
To regain our lost way

When I grew up I kept my faith
I realized that only prayer helps
I called “Father, You who are in me!”
My faith helped me in my new life,

When I learned from my elders
That while we are still partly matter
We have an invisible silver thread
Connecting us directly to our Father

In my heart I was pleased
And found serenity and peace
In the power of faith and hope
Which let us persevere and cope.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

From My Family Heritage

In my family, in order to avoid hurting the feelings of anyone, they taught us to speak with proverbs, to characterize any situation.


From My Family Heritage

Those who with arrogance and pride will leap
will never be wise or get very deep

Those who want to clean their veins
should get rid of their pains

Poverty teaches us endurance and patience
While circumstances lead to celebrations

Those who want to eat the others' bread
Their seeds in all directions should spread

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Freedom and Change

Men are driven to nowhere in the name of freedom and change

Freedom and Change

Man is a slave to his weakness.
He does not recognize when evil is consuming him
And, instead of getting rid of it,
He allows himself to be destroyed.

Men are driven to nowhere in the name of a slogan
Such as change, freedom, independence –
All kinds of funny words -
Words that please our ears and our hearts.

We love words which do in fact not mean anything
We do not always understand the words which reach us
From a talented speaker or politician
Coming from a microphone

With intonation and theatrical allure,
Like freedom, healthcare, equality, liberty, work place etc,
For which people are ready to give up their vote
And later maybe their faith and their lives.

No one asked for the real meaning of those words –
"Freedom" “Change” etc.
No one asked what kind of change they promise us.
What freedom can we see in the chains of our pride and hostility?

The freedom to be hungry and feel miserable?
Why talk about freedom from our chains.
Men are prisoners of their anatomy and deficiencies,
Of their traditions, of the education they have received

And of the society in which they live.
It is senseless to die for freedom without the real meaning of this word,
Actually, we must live for it. Let us rejoice in freedom,
But more so in a freedom of the mind and the freedom of the spirit.

This is a positive strength that helps us in our professional,
Social and personal environments.
And it is thanks to this strength that we achieve freedom - and attain love.
It is far easier to love one's neighbor than to fight him.

Copyright 2008 Emile Tubiana

For Unity in Our Nation

I am sad to see the nation divided through politics.


For Unity in Our Nation

Please leave the narratives
To my fellow writers.
Please do your job
As the constitution prescribes it
And create the atmosphere
Of unity, and not that of a split nation.
Please, do not create new words
In the political lexicon.
We can hardly follow
The ones we already have.
Please do not forget
That the American people
Is also made up of immigrants like myself,
Who have never taken English classes,
As we first had to create jobs
For those who were not able to.
As a French citizen
I came in the United States
To create a business and jobs,
With the same ideal and enthusiasm
As Le Marquis de La Fayette
And Le Comte de Rochambeau.
I love America as I knew it,
As one united, strong and
Determined Nation,
As I saw your brave soldiers in World War II
Falling and wounded –
Not as Democrats or as Republicans
Not as black or white.
They were all brave and courageous.
They fought as Americans and won.
Do not forget that just in World War II,
Many soldiers lost their lives in Europe and Asia
To protect our values
Are we One people or not?
With all due respect,
I don’t like to see
This nation divided
Along party lines.

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Fear

Understanding fear, since our birth


Fear

We are born with a tear
We start Life with pain and fear
The shock we get at birth
Makes us think if it is worth

Being pushed left and right
Confronting our first day light
Breathing for the first time, air
Fighting the fear who will dare?

When we first came here
We didn’t know about fear
Watching, feeling, not one word
Screaming, crying to get heard

Using patience without end
We sometimes have to pretend
Not knowing how to speak
We could only wait and peek

As a baby we can’t fight our fear
We have to accept what we hear
Parents are saying, they will grow
Their pain will soon have to go

Later they will learn to be free
Master their fears, not flee
Once they realize who they are
Their will see how they came so far

Knowing to dive and mastering this art
They find themselves deep in their heart
Human beings always strive
To survive and to find Life.

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Everyone Speaks His Own Language

In our beautiful world, will one day people understand each other, if one neighbor does not understand his neighbor?


Everyone Speaks His Own Language

Today I had a visit of one of our neighbors.
I offered him a cup of coffee
We sat in our living room
And spent an hour together.
He was so happy -
He thanked me for the coffee and said:
"It was nice seeing you and your lovely wife."
Then just before he left he said:
"We had a great conversation,
I enjoyed it very much ".
After he left, I looked at my wife and said:
"We didn't say a word,
He was the only one who spoke. "
She answered me: "Let him believe
That he had a good conversation with us."
I replied: "You are right, let him be happy,
We may have made his day".
Then I continued,: "Now you understand,
Why we need the United Nations.
The world is still turbulent.
Let everyone talk in his language".

Copyright 2009Emile Tubiana

Ethics

Loving our neighbors is not enough, we must act, and we learned how.


Ethics

When I think back to my school days, it strikes me like an oddity
That courtesy and politeness became a rare commodity.
People in our days sometimes forget, or did they ever learn?

For them, it seems, the rules of conduct are of no concern.
Some people will say “our demography has changed”
But we get along much better when friendly words are exchanged.
Many people do not say anymore the words “thank you” “may I” or “please”

Those who taught them to us wanted the burden of life to ease.
When one holds the door open for another with respect
Acknowledging this nice and decent act would be correct
When I was in grade school, our first class in the morning every day

Was an ethics and civility lesson - how to conduct ourselves, what to say
To help elderly people carry a heavy bag or hold the door
To be ready to rescue anyone in need, run an errand or do a chore
Those lessons are still resounding in my mind until now

Loving our neighbors is not enough, we must act, and we learned how.
Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Ecrire pour vider son coeur

Ecrire pour vider son coeur

French Poem - The feeling of writing


Ecrire pour vider son coeur

Sans crainte et sans peur
Jusqu'à avoir accompli
Un monde paisible, sans souci

Il faut se tremper dans l'amour
Afin d'oublier les mauvais jours
Annoncer à ceux qui suivront
Les beaux jours qui viendront

Ecrivez, écrivez, surtout vivez
Votre vie, pas celle des autres
Pour rester dans la vie
Guidés par la loi et par l'ordre

Si l'univers est parfait
C'est grâce à la foi
Il se tient en balance
Par la force de la loi.

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Eclairer le Chemin

Mon Coeur serait rempli de joie



Eclairer le Chemin

Si mes écrits pourraient éclairer le chemin de ne serait-ce qu’un seul être humain j’aurai le cœur rempli de joie

Don't Worry

My Mom used to say: Sleep and let them worry.


Don't Worry

During the elections, I wrote a poem titled
"Who Wants Change?"
We can say thank God
this election is behind us.
Now is the turn of the media
if they still exist and have any objectivity left,
to express themselves.
Now the world cannot say anything,
they all pray for us
that we may succeed to survive
and reimburse what we owe.
Now we can sleep quietly
and let them worry about our wellbeing

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Don't Despair

Don't Despair

People are passing a difficult time
But it should not lead to despair
Life is very precious. Try to prepare,
As there is much more to climb

The heart's voice is imprinted with love
Listen to it, as it comes from above
In silence you'll find what is you, only
And you will never again feel lonely

Pray for those who make the decisions
They will be accountable with precision
Be patient, wait for the end of the turn
As all their efforts' results will return.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Death and Life

Death and Life


Death is a mystery.
We pretend to know life.
We see ourselves as smart,
Actually we are ignorant.
Being alive is a mystery,
Knowing life is a blessing.
The more we know life,
The more we realize
How small we really are,
The more we gain strength.
Let us not waste our time.
Let us use each moment
Discovering the meaning of life.
If death is a mystery,
Life is the mystery of mysteries.

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Create Your Little Worlds -Crée tes petits mondes



Create Your Little Worlds


The original poem was written by the author in French. He then translated it into English, in memory of a teenage girl named Eliza, who created this lovely painting.
She lost her life at the age of 15 in Paris, in an accident.

Create Your Little Worlds

You are so sweet and so pure
Your childhood is bursting with glory
But nothing seems to be hard for you
Blowing day and eve.

Your trees with golden leaves
Your birds, which fly towards you
Add to your charm a setting
Of joy, of innocence, and of happiness.

Do you know what you are doing?
You little girl
With the look of a fairy,
Honest and gentle

Make bubbles, make balls
You little girl, in silence
In the woods, far from the crowds
Create your little worlds.

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

French poem dedicated to a teen-age painter. Create Your Little Worlds



The original poem was written by the author in French. He then translated it into English, in memory of a teenage girl named Eliza, who created this lovely painting.
She lost her life at the age of 15 in Paris, in an accident.

Ecrite à la mémoire d'Eliza, l=artiste qui avait peint le tableau des bulles.

Crée tes petits mondes

Tu es si douce et si pure
Ton enfance jaillit de gloire
Mais rien ne te semble dur
De souffler le jour et le soir

Tes arbres en feuilles d'or
Tes oiseaux qui volent vers toi
Ajoutent à ton charme un décor
De gaieté, d'innocence et de joie

Sais-tu ce que tu fais?
Toi petite fille
Avec ton regard de fée
Sincère et gentil

Sais des bulles, fais des boules
Toi petite blonde
Dans la forêt loin des foules
Crée tes petits mondes

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Christmas Time Is Beautiful

Christmas Time Is Beautiful

Seeing the houses dressed in light
Touches my heart with all the might

Because of the joy it creates
As everyone celebrates

It also reminds me of Jesus’deed
Which showed us the light we need

Likewise any festive event
Which makes people content

Creating light and joy on earth
Has its own special worth.

Not only because of what Jesus did
But especially because of who he is

And for the power of his presence
And for the light and love, his essence

For the prayer he taught us
For the peace he brought us

Blessed are those who feel his grace
Every day, in every place

Copyright 2008 Emile Tubiana

Choices and Decisions

If our choice does not rest on a solid foundation

We just have to say no or make a modification

Choices and Decisions

"Truth" and "falsehood" have no voice.
Hold on tight to your freedom of choice
Neutralize your selfishness and pride.
Let your duty towards yourself decide
And admit shortcomings, error and weakness
Which are tied to our character and uniqueness.
It is never too late to change direction,
To revise and modify choice and rejection
Crossing the desert on a sick camel is not wise
The risk is too big; being ashamed no one can advise
When we realize that we made a wrong decision
By following a path which goes against our vision.
If our choice does not rest on a solid foundation
We just have to say no or make a modification

Copyright 2008 Emile Tubiana

Bonne Année

Bonne Année

Que de souhaits et de voeux séchangent
Ce nouvel an, si seulement tout sarrange
Tout le monde serait heureux et content.

Pour la famille il faut plus qu'un souhait,
De belles paroles pour la bonne santé
Il faut mettre du cœur, de l'amour sans cesse

Que toutes mauvaises pensées disparaissent
Accueillons la nouvelle année avec gaîté
Les beaux jours de bonheur et de prospérité.

Copyright 2008 Emile Tubiana

Ma ville natale

Ma ville natale (Traduction)


Je suis revenu à toi, ma ville
Après cette longue nostalgie
J'ai senti les racines de mon coeur,
Comme les roses et le jasmin
Dans ta terre bénie,
Ton blé abondant,
Tes montagnes vertes
Etalées comme un tapis
De loin je t'ai honorée
Et à mon anniversaire je suis arrivé.
Je t'ai visitée, ma ville,
Après des années d'éloignement,
J'ai revu mon enfance,
Quand je t'ai apperçue de loin.
Ta beauté est grande,
Et meilleure que les richesses,
Ta beauté est celle de ma maman
Lorsque je tétais.
Je retounerai vers toi, ma ville,
Sans maquillage et sans henné
Avec mon âme sereine et mon coeur pur
Afin que l’on ne dise de toi
Que des paroles de vérité
Et des paroles d'amour et de pureté,
De notre seigneur
J'ai arraché de toi une bise,
Tu as ouvert mon coeur à l'amour
Se souvenant de toi aujourd'hui,
Mon coeur est apaisé
Ta joie est la mienne,
Ton amour est le mien
Dans ton centre repose
Le quartier de nos ancêtres,
L'oeil* du soleil,
La source des sources,
Toute en miel et en lumière
Je me nourris de toi
Depuis mon jeune âge, à ce jour.

* En Arabe, l'oeil veut aussi dire "source"

Copyright 1992 Emile Tubiana

B L A D I / La mia città natale

B L A D I

(La mia città natale)
Translation to Italian by Elia Boccara

Sono tornato da te,mia città
dopo questa lunga nostalgia
Ho sentito le radici del mio cuore,
come le rose e il gelsomino
Nella tua terra benedetta,
il tuo grano abbondante
Le tue montagne verdi
distese come un tappeto
Da lontano ti ho onorata
e per il mio compleanno sono arrivato.
Ti ho visitata, mia città
dopo anni di lontananza,
Ho rivisto la mia infanzia,
quando ti ho scorta da lontano.
La tua bellezza è grande,
e migliore delle ricchezze,
La tua bellezza è quella della mia mamma
quando mi allattava,
Tornerò verso di te, mia città,
senza trucco e senza henné
Con l'animo sereno e il cuore puro
Affinché di te si dicano
solo parole di verità
E parole di amore e di purezza,
Del nostro Signore.
Da te ho strappato un bacio,
hai aperto il mio cuore all'amore
Ricordandoti oggi
il mio cuore ha trovato pace
La tua gioia è la mia,
il tuo amore è il mio.

Copyright 1993 Emile Tubiana

Birthday in My Home Town / Bladi

Birthday in My Home Town after 46 years of absence.

A New Interpretation of "My Home Town" (Blahdee)
Translated by the author from his Arabic original. (Below)
Excerpt from his recently published book
"Les Tresors Caches" (The Hidden Treasures)
Published By l'Harmattan 2006 in Paris.

Birthday in My Home Town
I visited you, after years of longing
I felt the roots of my heart
Like roses and jasmine
Your abundant wheat
Your green mountains
Displayed like a carpet
From afar, I honored you
And on my birthday I visited you
Your beauty is that of my mother
When I was nursing
I will return to you, my town
Without make-up
With my serene soul and pure heart
So that they may only say of you
Words of truth
And words of our Lord
Of love and purity
I sneaked a kiss from you
You have opened my heart to love
Remembering you today
My heart is appeased
Your joy is mine
Your love is mine
In your center is the nest of my ancestors
Full of honey and light
I feed myself on you
From my young age, until now

****************

Bladi (Blahdee)

Ba’ad el wahsh rezha’at leek ya blahdee
A’aroosh qalbee hassitem
Kif elward wel yasmin
Feehardek lemqadsha
Qamhek elembaza’
Zhbalek elkhadra
Kif el ahseera mfarsha
Men elby’id a’azeetek
Ooyoom miladi zheetek
Zoortek ya blahdee
Ba’ad essnin wel ghorba
Tfakert zookhri laoolanee
Kif shooftek mel ba’eed.
Zeenek ekbir
Azhmel men elkheer
Zeenek oowa zeen omee
Kif kunt nerda’a
Narzha’a lik ya blahdee
Bla harqooss oobla hena
Roohee mhenee oo qalbee safee
La had yeqool a’aleek
Ella leklam esheeh
Klam el hoob elmleeh
Ooklam rabna el a’alee
Naheet menek wahsha
Oo haleet lee qalbee lel emhaba
Tfakertik el yoom
Oo qalbee matmoom
Zaheetek heeya zaheetee
Oo hobek hooa hobi
Fi qalbek hoomet ezhdood
E’in Esemsh, e’in el a’yoon.
Koolha a’assel oo noor
Rada’a menik
Men sookhri lelyoom

Copyright 1992 Emile Tubiana

Beautiful Child

Beautiful Child

Oh my sweet and pure one, filled with cheerfulness
Shine, twinkle like the summer sun
Show your greatness, your glory, your immenseness

Rise! break through the night and the fog!
Your existence is not mere chance
Among children, grown-ups and the elderly

You know neither space nor time
Where you are it's always spring
That's why I have been waiting for you ever since

Let us walk towards you, towards your light
From the bottom of our hearts like from a quarry
Our songs and our prayers resound

Here you are in the firmament
Oh you! beautiful child
As shiny as a diamond

You do not know melancholy, sadness,
Sorrow, fear, distress
Hatred, rancor or weakness...

You overcame my distrust
From my early childhood on
This is why I trust you

You discern our thoughts with astuteness
You enter those hearts which are ready
To live in love and peace

You act only your way
Without arrogance, pride or appearance
In the rhythm of your good pace

You know neither battle nor war
All men are brothers to you
In your life, that of your father

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

A tous les êtres bien aimés

A tous les êtres bien aimés

Ne soyez pas désespérés
Attendez la venue de nos aînés
Ils nous apportent leurs meilleurs voeux
De leur place au cœur des cieux

Nous sommes parfois induits en erreur
De croire plus au mal qu'au bonheur,
Même si la vie nous parait dure
Nous restons innocents et purs

Il y a sûrement des tempêtes
Qui nous surprennent en pleine fête,
Mais il ne faut pas perdre espoir ni courage.
Surtout lorsqu'on atteint un certain âge

J'ai hérité ce dicton de mon père:
Après l'obscurité vient la lumière.
Attendre patiemment la fin de la nuit
Pour cueillir les fleurs et les fruits.

Chaque période nous apporte ses trésors
Qui nous permettent de supporter notre sort
Je vous souhaite un bon renouveau
A vous tous, qu’il soit agréable et beau.


Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

A Rich Girl’s Dream

A Rich Girl’s Dream

I dream of walking and running when I feel like it.
Of dressing casually and letting myself expose to the sun.
Of doing my hair the way I want and not the way I’m told to
I live in a society where everyone tries to impress everyone
Not by their intelligence, but by their clothes and wealth.
I dream of going back to my childhood and to hug my mom,
Of sharing with her my love and my aspirations.
I have grown up with my tutor, whose only duty is
To shape me like a living sculpture for the admiration of others.
Who cares about what others think about me.
Who cares who I am! I don’t want to be like them.
I want to be myself and only myself with my vast horizon
I am not limited to the wealth of my dad.
To write about all my feelings and to cherish my lover
My dream and my only dream is my unknown lover
For me, there is only one authority – my faith, which is in my heart

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

As I See It

As I See It

The intellect is a good tool,
It should not make of us a fool
It is adapted to life on earth
And should be taken at its worth

If we let our intellect wander
The risk is, it will get us under
And make us lose our feeling,
The link to the source of healing

We should control our intellect
and learn what we should select
Remembrance leads us to our goal
Awaken our being, and our sleeping soul

We can feel our life's source
By letting our yearning take its course
Touching the ocean of love and joy.
Deep in ourselves it may deploy

Only experience can form our soul
Suffering and wellbeing tell us all
Not everyone will be revealing
Their deepest faith and feeling

Copyright . 2009 Emile Tubiana

Poésie du grand-père

Poésie du grand-père

Evite d’avoir tes poches vides,
Afin que tu restes clair et lucide.
Offre ce qui est cher aux moins aisés
Et garde ton calme et ta santé

Le passé n'est ni ici-bas, ni là-haut
Il est en nous, et il reste beau
On le raconte pour vider son coeur
S’alléger et sentir son bonheur

Que c’est beau d’avoir la bénédiction
De pouvoir vivre sans gêne ni friction
Etre gai et joyeux à tout moment.
Ecrire ce que l’on veut librement

Ceux qui sentent, aiment
Le moi de soi et des autres
L'odeur des fruits et des fleurs
Les paroles qui sortent du coeur

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

A Grandpa’s Poem

A Grandpa’s Poem

Avoid having an empty pocket
You should stay light as a rocket
What you cherish, give to the needy
Stay calm and healthy, don’t be greedy

The past is neither here nor there
It is within, in all its beauty
We tell about it to follow our heart
As we want to be active, do our part

How great it is to feel good and free
To finally be what we want to be
To be joyful and happy all the time
To write what we like, with a rhyme

Those who love their mothers
Will be able to care for others
The fragrance of fruit and flowers
And words will brighten their hours

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

A Dangerous Age

A Dangerous Age

We live in a very dangerous age
which holds human destiny.
Scientific progress has deeply
damaged the human soul,
which finds itself cut off from its source
where it belongs.
This gap is resulting from our weakness,
from our fear of the truth,
which remains an eternal secret.
Perhaps this emanates from our failure
of understanding nature and ourselves?
Both constitute the biggest mystery.
which our inner source could reveal to us.
This mystery engenders the fear of death,
which we are replacing with pleasure and comfort,
believing in the progress of science.
At the expense of our faith.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Advice

Advice

Don’t take happiness as a grant
Decide what you really want
To others’ Gods do not bow
But to yourself give a vow

You will never be stressed
Every day will be blessed
If you only do your part
God will be born in your heart

Go on and don’t be sorry
Poems and the nicest stories
All will be just memories
Your future is filled with glory

Bless mankind and its descendents
Avoid the fake and its resemblance
Those who don’t inspire confidence.
Only destiny will prepare your chance

Luck and happiness depend on you,
Your will, your faith, your actions too
Your love, your joy, for your own sake
As an offering keep them awake.

Copyright 2008 Emile Tubiana

Conseil

Si tu veux être heureux
Laisse le Dieu des aïeux
Fais à toi-même un aveu
Qui reflète ce que tu veux

Tu ne seras plus malheureux
Dans ton coeur naîtra ton Dieu
Et chacun de tes jours sera béni
En plein soleil et dans la nuit

Avance et ne regarde pas le noir
Car il sera bientôt des mémoires
Pour les poésies et les belles histoires
Afin que ton futur sera rempli de gloire.

Bénis les êtres et leur descendance
Évite la science, les apparences
Et ceux qui n’inspirent pas confiance
Seul le destin peut préparer ta chance.

Ta chance et ton bonheur dépendent
De toi-même, de ton amour,de ta foi
De tes actions,ta volonté et de ta joie,
Garde les éveillés comme une offrande.

Copyright 2008 Emile M Tubiana

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

La grâce sur le chemin

La grâce sur le chemin

Je dirais, la parole est sacrée
Elle est en nous bien ancrée
Avant notre naissance
Et pour toute l'existence

Si nous restons calmes et patients
Nous serons un jour conscients
Nous la sentons à tout moment
Car elle porte en elle l'aimant
Dans l'étincelle et de son fin fil
Qui nous sauve de tout péril

Elle nous guide vers le lendemain
Elle nous dirige vers le bon chemin
Que nous soyons d'une religion
Ou enfants d'une même région

Les hommes d'une autre face
Ou ceux d'une autre race
L'essentiel est de rester humain
Pour saisir la grâce sur le chemin.

Ce poeme a ete traduit par l'auteur en anglais et en allemand.
Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Grace on Our Path

Grace on Our Path

I would say, the Word is sacred
Deep within us it is anchored
Beginning before our birth
And for all our life on Earth

If we just stay calm, and patient
One day we will find self-consciousness
We feel grace at every moment
As it bears the mighty magnet

Of the scintilla with its fine thread,
Which saves us from peril and threat.
It guides us towards tomorrow
Directs us to the right path

May we be of the same religion,
Or the children of the same region,
People with a different face
Or those of a different race.

It is essential that human we stay
In order to grasp grace on our way.

Translation by the Author of his French poem. "La Grace sur le Chemin"

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Gnade auf dem Weg

Gnade auf dem Weg

Das Wort is heilig, würd' ich sagen
Es ist wohl in uns verankert
Bevor unserer Geburt auf Erden
Und solange wir leben werden.

Bleiben wir ruhig und gelassen
Werden wir uns selbst erfassen
Wir spüren die Gnade zu jeder Zeit
Sie trägt in sich die magnetische Kraft
Des Funkens und seines feinen Fadens
Der uns rettet aus jeglicher Gefahr.

Sie führt uns dem nächsten Tag entgegen
Lenkt unseren Schritt dem guten Wege zu
Seien wir von der gleichen Religion
Oder Kinder der gleichen Region,

Menschen verschiedenen Gesichts
Oder Abkommen von einer anderen Rasse
Hauptsache ist menschlich zu bleiben
Um die Gnade auf dem Weg zu fassen.

Translated by the author from French to German, from his poem "La grace sur le chemin"

Copyright 2007 Emile Tubiana

Aging

Aging

Let’s leave everything in place
As we are aging with grace
Let’s look life straight in the face
As to keep a good image of our base

It’s not through thought, or sweat
Once we are free, we get ahead
The past may knock us off balance
As seniors we can take the challenge.

Love, verses, music, and song
In the language where they belong
Are fulfilling our own call
To reach our depth in all

In life everything goes by
Problems, headaches, our cry -
As we are asleep and dream
Let’s not miss the time of life’s stream

Old age makes us full of beauty
As life trained us well through duty
To avoid falling into what is fake
We should not doubt, for our sake.

Healed of the past and its worries,
Of our pride, ignorance, and hurries,
As not to miss our life and chance
Let’s keep our heritage and innocence.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Haiti Mon Amour

Haiti My Love

Many say how can we cope?
With a challenge of such magnitude
We should only pray and hope

The Haiti earthquake reminds us
Of World War II human destruction
And of millions in complete distress

This is no time for politics or criticisms
No time is left; we should first save the lives
And selfless practice care and altruism

People who bring relief should not ask why
Disasters happen in nature without our knowledge
They should only rush to save those who cry

In WW II human beings had planned such horror
Not in one place only, but in many places and countries
Each leader only wanted to be the best scorer

They punished the others with no regret or feeling
No compassion for the suffering human beings
For those who died and for those who were fleeing

But after the war a lot of rebuilding was done
People regained their dignity through hard work and help
And in the end, those who remained, all won

Maybe it takes a tragedy such as the one we see
To focus the world’s attention and outpour of love
To help a struggling nation become the best it can be.

Now Haiti needs all the support we can give
Every penny, every prayer, every good thought
With all the combined efforts and blessings it will live.

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

From the Heights

From the Heights

From the Heights I had to fall
To find myself on earth,
I had to pass an unknown wall
From nothingness to birth.

When I first opened my eyes
I found myself in ties
Bundled-up in flesh and blood
Like a wondrous flower’s bud

A droplet of my mother’s milk
Caressed my cheeks like silk.
Then I slowly began to believe
That my former state I had to leave

I didn’t know what happened to me
When the attraction sucked me in
I may have lost the freedom I had
But being on earth made me glad

I entered my elders’ solid matter
Who created for us the ladder
Which for us is a relay
To regain our lost way

When I grew up I kept my faith
I realized that only prayer helps
I called “Father, You who are in me!”
My faith helped me in my new life,

When I learned from my elders
That while we are still partly matter
We have an invisible silver thread
Connecting us directly to our Father

In my heart I was pleased
And found serenity and peace
In the power of faith and hope
Which let us persevere and cope.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

D’une hauteur

D’une hauteur


D’une hauteur j’ai dû tomber
Pour me trouver sur la planète
J’ai dû passer le mur inconnu
De l’esprit à la matière.
Quand j’ai ouvert mes yeux
Je me trouvais prisonnier
Ligoté par le sang et la chair
Des gouttes de lait de ma mère
Venait caresser mes paupières
Puis je recommençais à croire
A la force de la foi et de l’espoir
Je ne savais pas ce qui m’arrivait
Je venais de perdre ma liberté
De l’action et des mouvements
La force de l’attraction m’absorbait
Dans la matière solide de mes aînés
Qui avaient fait ce miracle de la terre
Par leur volonté, leur foi et la prière
Je criais fort et redoublais ma voix
J’appelais Père, Toi qui est en moi
Mais ma foi finit par me calmer.
Et je me sentais soulagé
Quand j’appris de mes aînés
Que nous gardions encore le lien
Avec notre Père dans Sa lumière
Tout en étant unis à la matière.

Copyright 2009 Emile Tubiana

Monday, April 5, 2010

Life Questions

Life Questions


Are we aware or conscious of our being
As present, past, and future we are seeing?
Does anyone know why we are here?
Did we come to work, to wonder, to cheer?

What deeds do we have to fulfill?
Are we here to learn a new skill?
Do we know all about the visible,
Our surroundings and the invisible?

The atmosphere abounds with life;
With many theories the world is rife.
We are so immersed in our thought and feeling
That many do not know where to look for healing

Certain feelings can make us suffer,
Others make us strong and tougher
There are feelings that make us gracious
Others make us miserable or generous

Feelings can entirely change our belief
Others bring us unexpected relief
Take us from one to the another extreme
Make us plunge into the world of dream

There are millions of different feelings
Some make us sick, others bring us healing
Feelings create different states in our soul
Can spread this state to humanity as a whole

Are we aware of our sacred human duty,
Which can enhance our life and our beauty?
Our highest dreams and our imagination
Can strengthen our feelings and our foundation.

And we should not let our feelings run wild
As to make us pure and innocent as a child
We have to carefully unite them in our heart
This will fulfill our life and elevate it to an art.


Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana

Saturday, April 3, 2010

My Destiny

My Destiny

You guide me steadily, to my land
Be it with a hard, or with a soft hand

Sometimes through prolonged sufferance
Sometimes through utter indifference

But you are my best, and my preference
I always resort to you for reference.

I know my loving prayer is not in vain
Where others are struggling with pain

There are times I should seek solitude
To feel my vivid soul like during childhood

Clear and fresh like the air in spring
My soul lightens my heart like a wing.

Copyright 2010 Emile Tubiana