00393.0000 MORNING HAS BROKEN

Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the word.
Sweet the rains new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dew fallon the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness on the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning;
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day.
(Repeat first verse)

American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry was feeling rather earthy this early morn. As AM returned from commercial to the soft, spiritual strains of Cat Stevens’ “Morning Has Broken,” Kiran complained, “I just want to say thanks. As if we’re weren’t depressed enough: it’s a Monday morning. Why are we playing this song?” She added, “I mean, couldn’t we, at least, play that little “Baby, Baby, It’s a Wild World one by him? Gosh! Anyway.”

As she then segued to meteorologist Rob Marciano, she joked, “I understand this was a request from Rob Marciano. He requested this song. It’s one of his favorites.” Good-naturedly, Rob retorted, “I didn’t request that.” When the AM beefcake playboy’s report concluded, Kiran risquely remarked, “Listen, if we had one more hour, we would play your other request by Engelbert Humperdinck (assumably, ‘Come Spend the Morning‘).”* As Rob beamed broadly and co-host Joe Johns roared with laughter, Kiran laughed, “Alas, alas, we are out of time.”

A.M.: Amorous Marciano?

*[For the reader unfamiliar with Humperdinck's song, one lusty lyric reads "Long-legged, open-eyed, satisfied woman, come spend the morning with me."]

A Day of Rest

As I sit blogging this morning the house is quiet, the wind is gently blowing the wind chimes and the antique clock is rhythmically setting the pace for the day.

I am reminded of a picture that hangs in my Mom’s living room. I remember this print well. It is an English countryside and in the distance is a beautiful Catherdal church with “folks” dressed in their Sunday “best” strolling in the early morning light of the day on their way to church.

Along the way are reminders of the importance of this day in that community. The sheep are resting, the plow stocks are resting, the cattle are grazing…..everywhere you look there is a reminder of this pictures namesake….”A Day of Rest”

Today is that day for me. This day was created to allow us time to rest. Cat Stevens sings about it in “Morning Has Broken” as he sings about re-create….it is time for me to rest and re-create. It is my prayer for you today that you can rest and re-create.

A Day of Rest

As I sit blogging this morning the house is quiet, the wind is gently blowing the wind chimes and the antique clock is rhythmically setting the pace for the day.

I am reminded of a picture that hangs in my Mom’s living room.  I remember this print well.  It is an English countryside and  in the distance is a beautiful Catherdal church with “folks” dressed in their  Sunday “best”  strolling in the early morning light of the day  on their way to church.

Along the way are reminders of the importance of this day in that community.  The sheep are resting, the plow stocks are resting, the cattle are grazing…..everywhere you look there is a reminder of this pictures namesake….”A Day of Rest”

Today is that day for me.  This day was created to allow us time to rest.  Cat Stevens sings about it in “Morning HAs Broken” as he sings about re-create….it is time for me to rest and re-create.  It is my prayer for you today that you can rest and re-create.

I wrote the piece below eight years ago today, the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary.  I didn’t know that, then.  But, who better, don’t you know.

It appeared on the front page of the Zanesville, OH, Times Recorder on Sunday, 9/15/01 if my math is correct.

COMFORT MY PEOPLE

“Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!”

“Daddy,” it was my daughter, Jeanne, calling me from New Hampshire. She was crying. “I’m sorry to bother you. They just crashed a plane into the World Trade Center and into the Pentagon. They’re burning.”

I was born in New York City, went to school there, lived there for 30
years. For five years I worked in a building across the street from the
World Trade Center. I watched it being built. And its scope and size
amazed me, who played and worked among metal and stone giants since childhood.

I married a New Yorker and my children were born in the City. My sister
and brother and their families live there, now. I am from a lot of
places, but I am a New Yorker. It is, for me, one of the most beautiful
and friendly spots in the world. Its people are the most spirited and
fun loving, adventurous and daring of any people I have ever met, and
I’ve been around the world more than once. Chicago may have broad
shoulders. New York has Heart and Soul. It’s the only city in the
country to have a state named after it. It is the capital of the world!

I awakened this morning and thought that, after yesterday’s horror,
things, light, colors, nature itself would look, feel and seem
different. I thought that the terrible evil which had been hurled at the
place of my birth, the wickedness spawned by living hate would drain
heart and soul from everything around me.

Not so. The testimony of the earth and sky talk about the heart and
soul and say you have not changed, nor shall you despite the cruelty and hatred of yesterday, despite the sadness and anger of today. And the place and people where your heart and soul were formed and nurtured shall not either.

Yesterday my niece, newly married to a cop in the City walked eight
hours home from her office across the street from the World Trade
Center. She stepped over dead people and pieces of a dead building as
she did so. My sister, herself a cop’s widow, said she would probably
not see her husband for a month. (He is safe, thank God.) She also
told me that her other daughter had been at a meeting in the WTC the day before at the spot where the first plane hit. All those people she had met with died yesterday, at once. I am thankful she and all I love are safe, but I know of the pain thousands awoke with this morning, pain of heart and soul.

The same sun that rises now just over the nearby ridge has been shining for an hour or so on destruction and wounds in the places where I used to play and work, shining on the people I lived among, the people I love. It rose today not less but more bright I suspect. And the sun brought with it both promise and fulfillment. In the darkness of
anguish and pain there is light. In the middle of grim anger and heavy
toil there is hope. In the blackness of sudden loss light shines.

Everything has changed, and nothing, in the City I love. What must be
done will be done and the wounds healed that were caused by malevolence personified. Restoration and renewal will take place because, after all darkness cannot last. We have this promised to us. Light and love last forever.

I commend to your attention the words of a hymn I was unable to sing
this morning because of my tears:
“God, whose almighty Word
Chaos and darkness heard
And took their flight:
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the Gospel day
Sheds not its glorious ray
Let there be light.”

Yesterday everyone in the country became a New Yorker.

PEG
9/12/01

Today is my first day “back to work,” in a sense.  In a few minutes, I’ll leave for the all-day Faculty Retreat, which begins a rush of activity that only builds on the prior three months of activities and planning.  Despite its culminating role, the Faculty Retreat does feel like a commencing (and that’s how it’s intended to feel).

Morning has broken like the first morning.

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.

Praise for the singing!  Praise for the morning!

Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

…

Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning–

God’s recreation of the new day.

- Eleanor Farjeon, 1931

Creator God, please recreate in me the feeling of a new beginning.  May I be, in Your image, both created and creative.

By Rev. Ed Hird+

At 5:34 a.m. a shaggy grey and white St. Bernard wanders along. Two black-necked geese are gliding overhead. One solitary shining white cloud awaits the rising of the Summer Sun over the Deep Cove Bay.

Everywhere I look from Panorama Park, my eyes are pierced by trees, a ring of unending trees like a green cocoon that encircles and protects Deep Cove from the intrusions of that other world. There is a stillness about Deep Cove that grips me and will not let go.

30 fuzzy grey baby geese, with their adult protectors, casually swim up to the Panorama Park beach, and begin voraciously pecking on the grass by the beach. All is silent, all is still, all is at rest. Not a human is in sight. Not a car can be heard. The only sound is the unending swirl of water crashing down over the rocks in Panorama Creek,

At 6.00 a.m., the Summer Sun is now bursting forth over the nearby mountains. The warmth of the blinding rays touches my park bench, and my heart soars. How jaded we’ve become to the miracle of the returning sun. How grateful our ancestors must have felt to welcome back the day after a dark fearful night.

As I sit on my Panorama Park bench, I am reminded of the well known song Morning has Broken.. “Morning has broken like the first morning. Black bird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the Singing, Praise for the Morning, Praise for them springing, fresh from the Word.”

How easily I become jaded to the beauty of Deep Cove. How hardened I can be to the wonderful gift of God’s natural beauty. How busy and distracted I can be in the rush and hub-bub of the daily frenzy. Thank you Jesus, for Deep Cove, for Panorama Park, for the beauty you have put right here in our neighbourhood to draw us back to You, to Your peace. Happiness is seeing a beautiful sunrise and knowing who to thank!

Rev. Ed Hird,Rector

St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver

Anglican Coalition in Canada

http://www3.telus.net/st_simons

-author of the award-winning book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’

http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com

-previously published in the Deep Cove Crier

Bolehkah saya menjawab soalan diatas bagi pihak Cat Stevens? Sudah tentulah tidak boleh. Kerana soalan itu sepatutnya ditanya kepada Cat Stevens. Dan jawapan kepada punca dia memeluk ISLAM adalah:

MEMBACA AL-QURAN. (pengakuan beliau ada didalam video dibawah)

Tidakkah pernah ternilai kepada masyarakat, seorang lelaki yang berada dipuncak kecemerlangan karier dan dizaman kegemilangan kerjaya serta populariti yang sangat gah. Dia memilih untuk meninggalkan semua kehebatan yang dikecapi.

Jualan albumnya bukan setakat 3,000 unit seperti jualan CD dan kaset artis Malaysia. Jualan album beliau mencecah jutaan unit diseluruh dunia. Kalau setakat dibandingkan dengan artis top Malaysia seperti  Sudirman, Siti Nurhaliza, Stacy, Faizal Tahir, Ebi Cornelis dan rakan artis yang lain. Terlalu jauh dan tidak ada seorang pun yang bernama artis mahu meninggalkan kedudukan yang beliau miliki disaat itu.

Namun, dengan pilihan yang tidak popular beliau memeluk ISLAM dan kerjaya beliau sebagai penyanyi jatuh merudum dan ia menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi terhadap beliau. Ada yang benci, ada yang suka dan ada juga yang kecewa. Namun, jawapan kenapa beliau meninggalkan agama anutan beliau iaitu Kristian adalah berpunca dari pencarian Tuhan. Beliau seorang lelaki inggeris yang faham bahasa Inggeris dan memiliki BIBLE untuk bacaan beliau. Dan beliau tahu, BIBLE adalah penulisan manusia sejak beliau masih Kristian. Namun, tidak pernah membaca Al-Quran sebagaimana membaca BIBLE.

Pencarian Tuhan dalam hidup Cat Stevens bermula disaat dia sedang berenang dipantai MALIBU. Ketika sedang berenang, dia dipukul ombak yang menyebabkan dia hanyut ditengah lautan dan hampir lemas dilaut. Disaat yang sangat cemas dan tiada bantuan yang mampu menyelamatkannya, timbul rasa takut mati dalam hatinya dan pada saat itulah hadir dihatinya, “Tuhan! Kalau kau selamatkan aku. Aku akan bekerja untuk kau.”

Dalam keadaan meronta ronta, tanpa dia menyedarinya ombak menolak dia kepantai dan dia berenang semula dan merasa selamat dan berfikir.

“Aku akan bekerja untuk tuhan, tapi…

…SIAPA TUHAN?”

Cat Stevens memilih ISLAM bukan sebaik selepas dia naik ke pantai. Tetapi, dia meneruskan kehidupan seharian seperti biasa tetapi janjinya pada tuhan dipantai masih bermain difikiran. Dimindanya berlegar legar persoalan, bagaimana untuk bekerja dengan tuhan sedangkan dia tidak tahu siapa tuhan yang sebenarnya.

(bersambung)

Semoga video ini mengingatkan kita Al-Quran tidak bermakna jika tidak dibaca.

A new hymnal was in preparation in 1931. And the editors wanted to make use of an old Gaelic melody, but could find no suitable words to fit. They turned to Eleanor Farjeon, asking her to write a poem of thankfulness for the morning. The daughter of an English novelist, Farjeon became a highly acclaimed literary figure herself–a journalist, a playwright, a poet, and a novelist. Her children’s books won many awards, and she even wrote the lyrics for an opera.

The author pondered the words of Genesis 1:5, which describes the first day of creation: “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” Did you ever think of how exciting it would have been to be there for that? Or did you ever go outside and relish the shear joy of the dawning of a beautiful new day?  Eleanor Farjeon may have done so, and she put the experience into words.

Both of the stanzas quoted below end with a recognition that the Lord (“the Word,” cf. Jn. 1:1) not only created the morning to begin with, but He sustains the orderly cycles of nature by His almighty power. The Bible says, “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist [they endure, or are held together]” (Col. 1:17). And He is “upholding [supporting, sustaining] all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). The hymn says in part:

Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!

Bir zamanlar Cat Stevens olarak bilinen adam Güney Kaliforniya’nın Mojave Çölü’nde tozlu bir yol kenarında durmuş otostop çekiyor. Bugünkü adıyla Yusuf İslam bir baş parmağını eski deri çantasının omzundaki askısına takmış, diğeriyle kasaba yönünü işaret ediyor. Yanında Joshua ağaçlarından, yakınlardaki çiftliğin birkaç keçisinden ve otuz yıl önce müzik oyunundan çekilip İslam’a döndüğünden beri kılavuzu olan Allah’tan başka kimse yok. O zamanlar paraya düşkünlük, ego ve dalkavukluk en büyük düşmanlardı; bu yeni inancı onun kurtuluşu olmuştu. Şimdi 60 yaşında, yeniden müzik yapıyor ve spot ışıklarına yaklaşıyor. Yoksa alev mi bu? Otostopla yaptığı yolculuk aslında yeni albümü “Roadsinger (To Warm You Through The Night)” için çekilen yüksek bütçeli bir video klip. O, çölde medeniyete doğru yürürken kameralar hareket ediyor, kır saçları ve sakalı şarkıcının ne kadar uzun zamandır uzaklarda olduğunu gösteriyor. Klip yönetmeni bir arabaya doğru hareket etmesini işaret ediyor; sonra bir sürü figüran ve Dolly Parton’a benzeyen biri devreye giriyor. Belli ki oyun yeniden başladı; Islam da yeniden oynamaya gönüllü. “Arenaya geri döndüğünüzde cesur olmak zorundasınız” diyor çay molası sırasında: “Hoş, ben cesur değilim aslında. Sadece eğlenceli şeyleri tercih ediyorum ve bu da…” Dolly’ye benzeyene dönüyor… “çok eğlenceli.”

Son albümü “One More Cup”, yeniden kazanılan ilgiden oluşan sığ bir havuza girmekti; yeni CD ise açık denize kuğu dalışı olarak düşünülebilir. İslam, mayıs başında piyasaya sürülen albümünü gece yarısı yayınlanan talk-show’lara ve radyolardaki sabah programlarına katılarak ya da yollarda tanıtıyor. Gelecek ay küçük, özel bir “Roadsinger” turnesine çıkacak ve müzik kariyerinin her iki döneminden de parçalar çalacak. Bu çıkış, son otuz yılını sessiz sedasız, şu anda hepsi birer yetişkin olan beş çocuk büyüterek, İngiltere’de iki İslami okul yöneterek, çocuklar için bir yardım derneği kurarak ve yalnızca Müslümanlara hitap eden, inanç esaslı hayır plakları yaparak adeta inzivada geçiren bir adam için büyük bir değişim. Zaman zaman basında yer aldı ama bunu gönüllü olarak yapmadı. 1989 yılında İngiliz medyası onun bir üniversitede yaptığı konuşma sırasında Salman Rüşdü aleyhinde fetva verdiğini ileri sürdü (İslam bunu inkar ediyor). Birkaç yıl sonra bir İngiliz magazin gazetesi eski pop yıldızının sadece peçeli kadınlarla konuştuğunu yazdı (bu da doğru değildi; İslam aksini kanıtlamak için dava açtı ve kazandı). 2004 yılında da haber kanalları İslam’ın adı kara listede görününce ABD’ye girişine izin verilmediğini duyurdular (bu doğruydu, ama kimlik karışıklığından doğan bir hatadan kaynaklanıyordu). Şöhrete bir anda sırtını dönmesine ve inanç tercihi nedeniyle basında hakkında çıkan olumsuz haberlere karşın Cat Stevens’ın albümleri piyasadan çekilmesinden on yıllar sonra bile hala çok iyi satıyor. Sırf 1991 yılından beri 6.2 milyon albümü satıldı. “The First Cut is the deepest” gibi şarkıların hala dinlendiğini ve tekrar tekrar cover’landığını duymak çok güzel” diyor ünlü şarkıcı. “Bu benim egoma hafifçe masaj yapıyor. Elimde değil. Çok hoş gerçekten.”

İslam’ın son albümü yine dünyevi temalar içeriyor; bugünlerde anlatacak çok daha fazla hikayesi var. “Roadsinger”, Cat Stevens’ın basit ama derin şarkı sözleriyle İslam’ın iyimser dünya görüşünün ve o sesin güçlü bir karışımı. Gerçek Dolly Parton ve Paul McCartney belli ki bunu hala bonus şarkı “Boots&Sand”de İslam’la birlikte çalışacak kadar seviyorlar. Burada İslam’ın neşeli mizah duygusu ön plana çıkıyor; şarkıcı ABD’ye girmesinin görevlilerce engellenmesinin ayrıntılarını sakin, neredeyse tuhaf bir tonda anlatıyor. Keyifli, hafif bir akustik gitar ve mandolinin hakim olduğu şarkı, ninni olabilecek kadar tatlı bir ritme sahipti; ta ki sözleri dinleyinceye kadar. “Sınıra vardığımızda, yedi şerif geldi / Sevgilimle beni çıkardılar / (Koro, haykırarak) “Adın şu mu (bilmem ne İslam) / “Öyle sanırım” / (Koro) “Sen bizim kara şarkı listemizdesin!” / (İslam) “Ah, hayır, efendim, hayır” / Olamaz, yapamazsınız / Ah, ne olur bırakın da geçelim!”

İslam, 1977 yılında müzik kariyerinden vazgeçip İslam’a döndüğünde, kimilerine göre bir anlamda adını kötüye çıkarmış oldu. İnançlarını herkesin gözü önünde yaşadığı için küçümsenen ya da tepki gören tek pop yıldızı o değil elbette. George Harrison da 1970′lerde Hare Krishna esprileriyle anılır olmuştu. Prince, Yehova Şahidi olduğu için raporlu deli muamelesi gördü. Jonas Kardeşler ise tutucu Hristiyan inançları yüzünden (hırıltılı seslerini ve kötü saç kesimlerini saymıyoruz bile) her 10 dakikada bir hakarete maruz kalıyorlar. Ancak İslam genellikle yanlış anlaşılan ve korkulan bir inancı seçti; inançlarını yansıtmak için adını değiştirdi; bu yüzden hayranlarına sırt çevirdi; hor görülme, didiklenme ve skandala yol açan üç nedendi bunlar. Ancak en büyük mücadele içte yaşanıyordu. İslam, bir süperstar olarak en büyük zorluğun kendi egosuyla başa çıkmak olduğunun farkındaydı; kalabalık hayran kitlelerine çalarken, iyi bir Müslümanın sahip olması gereken tevazuyu geliştiremeyeceğini hissediyordu. Üstelik bir de, rock and roll’un temiz, basit bir hayatla asla örtüşmeyecek aşırılıklarına karşı koyması gerekiyordu (burada ne de olsa 70′lerden söz ediyoruz). Ancak yıllar geçtikçe, İslam -oğlu Muhammed’in de zorlamalarıyla- müziğinin ve inancının kendini insanlardan soyutlamasını gerektirmediği sonucuna vardı.

Şimdi mesele, insanlara çalmakla Tanrı’ya hizmet etmek arasında sağlıklı bir denge kurmak. “Yeniden oraya çıkmak vicdanımı sızlatıyo,” diyor İslam. Şu anda vaktini memleketi olan Londra ve Dubai’de geçiren şarkıcı, Hollywood’da bir Yunan restoranında yemek yerken diğer müşteriler tarafından pek fark edilmiyor bile. Onunla özdeşleşen kıvırcık kahverengi saçları şimdi gümüş rengi ve seyrelmiş; tel çerçeveli gözlükler takıyor; yüzünün alt yarısını ise uzun ama bakımlı bıyık ve sakalı kaplıyor. “Her zaman dalkavukluktan kaçınmaya çalıştım” diyor İslam. “Ama geçenlerde Art Garfunkel ile yemek yedim. ‘Hadi ama, senin söyleyecek şeylerin var. Çık ve söyle. İnsanlar üzerine gelebilirler ama yine de oyuna katıl’ dedi. ‘Haklısın’ dedim. Bir sürü mazbut insan var; çıkıp onlara hitap etmek gerek. Zaten artık seksi posterlerim filan da yok; bu yüzden yeniden seks idolü olmaktan korkmama gerek yok”

Yeteneği bir yana, Kıbrıslı Rum bir babanın ve İsveçli bir annenin oğlu olan İslam 60′ların ortalarında, Steven Demetre Georgiou olan adını Cat Stevens yapmasaydı, seksi posterleri olan biri haline gelemez, hatta ünlü bile olamazdı. 1966 yılında, Jimi Hendrix ile birlikte turneye çıktı ve 1970′lerde patlama yapan ilk LP’si “Tea For The Tillerman”ı çıkarmadan önce İngiltere’de birkaç hit kaydetti. Bunu izleyen beş yıl boyunca, üretken besteci, dönemin en çok ses getiren, kalıcı ve beğenilen şarkılarına imza attı: “Peace Train”. “Wild World”. “Morning Has Broken”. Hem neşeli hem hüzünlü film müziği “Harold ve Maude”. Bu arada, daha ulvi amaçlar arayışındaydı ve Budizm’le, numerolojiyle, astrolojiyle ilgileniyordu. Sonra, 1976′da Malibu kıyılarında yüzerken boğulma tehlikesi atlattı. O anda Tanrı’yla bir anlaşma yapmış ve kurtulursa hayatını Tanrı’ya hizmet etmeye adayacağına dair söz vermiş. Sonra dalganın onu kaldırdığını ve kıyıya fırlattığını söylüyor. Kısa bir süre sonra,
Stevens’ın kardeşi onu Kuran ile tanıştırdı ve şarkıcı İslam’a döndü; hem adını hem de inancını değiştirerek. “Öyle mutluydum ki bulutların üzerinde uçuyordum adeta” diyor gözleri parlayarak. “Ama basından olumsuz tepkilerle karşılaşınca moralim bozuldu. ‘Sen beni sevmezsen belki ben de seni sevmem” diye devam eden ‘Last Love Song’ı yazdım. 1978′de kaydettiğim albümün son parçasıydı bu. Medyadan gördüğüm muameleye, hakaret içeren başlıklara, şaka yollu sataşmalara yönelik bir tepkiydi. Hepimizin öğrenmesi gereken çok şey vardı.”

70′lerin sonunda, İslam bütün gitarlarını hayır kurumlarına bağışladı ve müziği bıraktı. Televizyon izlemekten, radyo dinlemekten de vazgeçti. “Böylece dünyadaki kaosun ve maddiyatçılığın beni etkilemesini engellemiş oldum” diyor. Bir evlilik ve beş çocuğun ardından, kurduğu Small Kindness da [Küçük İncelikler] dahil olmak üzere çeşitli hayır kurumları için para toplayan bir yardımsever oldu. Aynı zamanda İngilizce konuşan Müslümanlar için çocuk şarkıları yapmaya başladı. 2000 yılında Arap alfabesiyle ilgili yaptığı şarkı, geri dönüşünün ilk adımıydı ve çok popüler oldu. “A harfinin Allah’ı simgelediğini daha önce kimsenin düşünmemiş olmasına çok şaşırıyorum’ diyor İslam. “Bunun bir keşif olduğunu düşündüm.” Bu şarkı Batı dünyasındaki Müslümanların vazgeçilmezi oldu.

Bu yeni müziğin sıcak bir ilgiyle benimsenmesi, İslam’ın benimsemiş olduğu daha katı Müslüman görüşlerin sorgulanmasına neden oldu. Kendisi İslam’ın muhafazakar unsurlarının yükselişte olduğu bir dönemde din değiştirmişti; şimdi Müslüman kimliği arayışı sırasında Kuran’ın öğretilerini yanlış yorumlamış ve şarkı söylemekten ve yazmaktan çok ani vazgeçmiş olabileceğini söylüyor. “Altın çağını yaşayan Bağdat’a baktığınızda, orada da müzisyenler, şairler ve bilim adamları vardı; tabii aynı zamanda yasalar da vardı” diyor. “Bir denge vardı. Harika bir medeniyetti ve dinin yeniden işlenmesi sırasında kaybolup gitti.”

Böylece İslam yeniden stüdyoya girdi ve 2006 yılında “An Other Cup” ile ortaya çıktı. Şarkıcının geri dönüş albümü VH1′den El Cezire’ye kadar ilgi gördü. Tek eleştiri, İslam’ın sesini yeterince duyamadığımız yönündeydi. Enstrümanların fazlalığı ve şarkıların biraz fazla “işlenmiş” olması nedeniyle sesinin ve gitarının gölgede kaldığını o da kabul ediyor. Bu nedenle “Roadsinger” albümü bir Cat Stevens albümüne çok daha yakın: Spontane (İslam beş şarkıyı üç günde kaydettiğini söylüyor), kendinden emin, ham ve dünyevi; şarkıcının sesi ve gitarı nefes alacak yer bulmuş sanki. Kapak bile “Teaser and Firecat” günlerine atıfta bulunuyor. Sanatçının oğlunun taptığı tasarımda, klasik Cat Stevens kapaklarından alınan imgelerle süslenmiş eski VW var; turuncu bir kedi, kurnaz bir üçkağıtçı ve elbette ay… Bu, bir süre kesintiye uğrasa da dolunay şeklinde ortaya çıkan bir kariyer. “Her şeyden elimi eteğimi çekmek müzik sanatını değerlendirmeme ve yeniden olumlu bir biçimde nasıl kullanılacağını anlamama yardımcı oldu” diyor İslam. “Yenilenip tazelenmemi sağladı. Belki bir gün müziği yine bırakırım, bilmiyorum, ama şimdilik hayatımda çok dengeli bir konuma geldim, yaptığım şey beni mutlu ediyor. Okullarım var, çocukların eğitim almalarına yardımcı oluyorum, yoksul ülkelerdeki çocuklara yardım ediyorum. Daha iyi bir uğraşımın olabileceğini düşünmüyorum. Yalnızca bir müzik yapmak istiyorum.”

Çekil, “Les Mis”, çünkü İslam tam gaz geliyor. “Moonshadow” son altı yıldır İslam’ın en gözde projesi. Cat Stevens malzemelerinin yanı sıra İslam’ın yeni şarkılarına yer verilecek.olan müzikalin bu yılın sonlarında Londra West End’de sahnelenmesi planlanıyor. “Müzikal tek doğal ışık kaynağının Ay olduğu ölümsüz bir gezegende geçiyor” diyor İslam. “Ancak güneşin parladığı, doğal düzen ve güzelliğin olduğu bir gezegen düşleyen inatçı bir oğlan var. Hikaye onun kusursuz dünyayı arayışını anlatıyor, ayın gölgesinin yardımıyla elbette.” Ve tabii uzun süre ortadan kaybolan ve -neyse ki- sonunda güneşteki yerini yeniden kazanan bir şarkıcı sayesinde.

Lorraine Ali

Kaynak: Newsweek Türkiye

Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation; praise ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!

(Words by Eleanor Farjeon)

I wish you a refreshing renewal for the rest of this Holy Week.

The first day of spring was a couple of days ago; I am sitting here watching the silhouettes of winter-bare, spindly trees lose their sharpness against the pink of dawn as the returning sun washes out the night sky.   So, I think it’s a good time to post my favorite song, Morning Has Broken, even if it’s a bit of a stretch on the “Letting Go Lent” theme.  Let’s call it Letting Go of the Night.

Many of us are very familiar with the Cat Stevens version of this song.  According to Wikipedia, it was originally written by an English poet and author, Eleanor Farjeon, who was asked to write lyrics to a Gaelic melody that would give praise to each day.   The original song, in the book Children’s Bells, was entitled “A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring).”  Thus, it is very appropriate to post it here today–just a little belatedly.  

This hymn, originally written for children, is profound in its simplicity.   Believe me, I’m not going to analyze the lyrics, because doing so would just destroy their innocence and purity.  Plus, my only commentary would be to end every sentence in an exclamation point, which makes me grossly unqualified for the task.  This song just makes me so happy!  I can wake up in a place of renewal every single day!   And God gave this gift to me!  Mine is the sunlight!  Mine is the morning!  That doesn’t mean that others can’t have it, too.  The invitation to every breaking morning goes out to everyone!  You don’t even need a special number under your plate to win the centerpiece!

So, read the lyrics below, phrase by phrase, and take joy in the promise that every day is a re-creation! Accept God’s gift of today with both hands!

Fading silhouettes of winter-bare trees

Morning Has Broken

lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon; music Gaelic song  Bunessan

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the Word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day

~~By American Lassie

SPRING – THE VERNAL EQUINOX
At 7:44 AM EDT today–Friday, March 20th–the sun will be directly over the Earth’s equator, ushering in the Spring season.

After so many long and wearisome months commiserating with family, friends, and other bloggers about this past election cycle and the state of the economy, etc., –just the state of the world in general– today I decided to ditch it all for a few hours, at least, and sit out on the balcony and watch a couple of birds building a nest on a ledge.  Since there were two of them at it, I would imagine they might be house sparrows.  I didn’t try to get close enough to determine markings, but it didn’t matter.  What mattered was the fact that there were other species in our world who don’t know, or don’t care, who is president, who is in his cabinet, how many times he’s on television, or what type fashions his wife wears, or any of the other items the MSM decides to notice on any particular day.  They are only concerned with the renewal of life and a home in which to live it. (Thank goodness they don’t have to worry about a mortgage.) And Providence will more than likely provide their food. (There is a lady in this building who collects stale bread and cake and the like from the other residents (me included) to feed the birds.

But back to the birds building their nest.  They tirelessly fly back and forth to the surrounding ground and back to the ledge with a twig or bit of grass or some such thing, preparing the nest for a new life.

I see small buds on some of the bushes and ornamental trees that will soon be leaves and flowers, and I marvel at the rejuvenation going on about me.  Even the (ugh) insects are beginning to appear.  They too, have a part to play in the scheme of things.

(Picture below courtesy of GRL — an ocotillo budding in southern NM, where Spring seems to come a little earlier…)

Budding Ocotillo

There is a semi-wooded area behind this building and every day several deer can be seen milling about, sometimes leaping, but usually just ambling around.  I’ve seen as many as five at one time and think to myself, “how carefree they seem, enjoying a daily stroll unaware of the turmoil that is going on around them just a few yards away.”  Back in their wooded area it is like another world.  It’s amazing how little oases like this are still possible with all the building encroachment going on in the area.  I understand that the area behind this building is part of a good- sized estate and the owner is a conservationist, which explains why the wild life is inside the fence.  From one of my windows I can watch them and on the days I’m not lucky enough to catch sight of them I feel I’ve missed one of the best parts of my day.

There are several species of trees back there.  Both evergreen and deciduous, so there is some green all year long.  I’ve misplaced my binoculars, so for the time being I have to be content to watch from a distance, but I’ll replace them so as not to miss the birds back there.

It warms the soul to watch Mother Nature renew the world with the miraculous restoration of plant and animal life.  The pictures GRL has posted the last couple of weeks started me ruminating on this idea, and one thing led to another –Did you ever have a song go around and around in your head and just couldn’t let it go?  The idea of Spring and the renewal of life began this song in my head.  It has a special significance for me.  It’s Cat Steven’s “Morning Has Broken” – music by Cat Stevens with lyrics by Eleanor Farjean.

MORNING HAS BROKEN

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word.
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Spring in completeness where His feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day.
MUSIC AND VIDEO at the link below
www.allspirit.co.uk/morning.html

***

Vernal Equinox – (Spring Equinox) – “On March 20th, at precisely 7:44 AM EDT, the Sun will cross directly over the Earth’s equator. This moment is known as the Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  Equinox means “Equal Night” Because the sun is positioned above the Equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinox.

Just about every culture known has some way of their own recognizing the Vernal Equinox – Spring.

In Christianity, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. (This year the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox fell on March 10th.)
It is no coincidence that the early Egyptians built the great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising sun on the day of the Vernal Equinox. (The Egyptian Pyramids are the only survivals of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.)

The first day of Spring also marks the beginning of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
The Mayans’ celebration uses their ancient knowledge of the Sunbeam “El Castillo, the name of their great pyramid of the Equinox and as the sun sets on its western face, light and dark compliment each other creating a very special pattern of a diamond backed snake descending the pyramid.  This solar magic has always been known as “The Return of the Sun Serpent”"
URL www.infoplease.com/spot/riteofspring1.html

Other names for the Spring Equinox are also “Abban Eilir, Eostar, Eostre, Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Festival of Trees, Lady Day, Now Ruz, No Ruz, Ostara, Ostra, Rites of Spring.

To Celtic Druids it is the time when day and night are equal in length .  “In Ireland the best known ancient Irish equinox temple is Knowth—– A second and older one found is Cairn T.  Both Knowth and Cairn T. allow a sunbeam on the morning of the Equinox to enter a passageway to light upon the sacred geometry on a back stone inside the temple.”

Ancient Judaism saw Passover dinner as spring fertility festival.

American Indians honored the Spring Equinox in landscape-sized temples.
“For the Greeks, the God-man of the Spring Equinox was Dionysus — associated with flowering plants and fruitful vines.”

Mesapotamia, Sumeria, Babylonia, Elam (5000 years ago) celebrated the start of their new year at the time of the Spring Equinox.  Zorastrianism was the religion of Ancient Persia until the advent of Islam 1400 years ago.  “NoRuz”, their new day or new year, was calculated on the Spring Equinox
www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/765341 -Celtic Druid Spring Equinox

National Agriculture day is also on March 20th. – www.agday.org

The blogger Fudzail posts a 3-part article on meeting Yusuf Islam in Dubai. 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It ends ‘to be continued’ and a 4th part hasn’t appeared yet. Hopefully soon.

When we awake
in the early morning hush
my body curved into yours

I can hear you breathe
as the shadows, light and wind
chase each other from behind
our sheer white curtains

You see me stirring
but just lie there
tangled with me in the sheets
eyes locked in an embrace as
the sun slowly greets our naked skin

Before the alarm clock rings.
Before the school bus
comes round the corner.
Before the damned garbage truck backs
up with its annoying beep beep beep—

My body curves into yours
just so
and we forget the world.

'Early Morning Hush' by Heather Grace Stewart

Mail Online reports that Yusuf Islam is ready to debut an original musical based on his hit songs as Cat Stevens. “Moonshadow” is expected to debut in July in Northampton with hopes for a West End run.

On February 15, a preview of the musical will take place at the Prince of Wales Theatre during the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards. Siobhan McCarthy, who originally starred in the ABBA musical “Mamma Mia!,” will sing.

The musical will feature songs like “Morning Has Broken” and “Wild World”.

“Morning Has Broken” is a favorite and well-known Christian hymn, especially popular in children’s services. Pop and folk singer Cat Stevens included an acoustic version on his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat. It became a signature song for Stevens when it reached number 6 on the US pop chart and #1 on the US adult contemporary chart in 1972.

Except from Wikipedia.org

Lyrics
Morning has broken, like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for the springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning,
Born of the one light, Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day.

Free Printable Sheet Music

Morning Has Broken for Easy Piano Solo | Gaelic Folksong from MakingMusicFun.net

Morning Has Broken for Intermediate Piano from SheetMusicDigital.com

Morning Has Broken for Harp Solo | Gaelic Folksong from MakingMusicFun.net

Guitar Chords

Morning Has Broken Lyrics and Guitar Chords from Chordie.com

Video

Cat Stevens sings “Morning Has Broken” on “ABC In Concert”in 1973.  Also see clips from the same concert (links under more info…).

Cat Stevens – Morning Has Broken – Live 1973 on YouTube.com

Free Printable Sheet Music

Morning Has Broken for Easy Piano Solo | Gaelic Folksong from MakingMusicFun.net

Morning Has Broken for Intermediate Piano from SheetMusicDigital.com

Lyrics
Morning has broken, like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for the springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning,
Born of the one light, Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day.

__________________________________________________________________

More “The Piano Student” Free Sheet Music Posts

Level 1/Easy Piano Solos
Level 2/Easy Piano Solos
Level 3/ Intermediate Piano Solos
Level 4/ Intermediate Piano Solos
Level 5/ Intermediate Piano Solos

MORNING HAS BROKEN

As Sung by Cat Stevens – Lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day.

( In memory of Courtney Pierpoint (Joey) Edwards : friend of Cyril and Carol Bryan who was laid to rest, in Barbados, on Friday January 30, 2009)

Terkenal…kaya dan memiliki segalanya…

Yusuf Islam atau dulunya bernama Cat Stevens adalah penyanyi top era 60 dan 70 an dengan beberapa hitsnya yang cukup terkenal misalnya: Morning has broken, Wild World, another saturday night, dan berpuluh hits lainnya.

Tanpa dinyana dan tanpa diduga, Alloh memberinya hidayah dan memberinya ketetapan hati untuk mengikuti jalan-Nya, meskipun ditengah badai tentangan dari berbagai pihak; tetapi dia tidak bergeming. Sebuah ketegaran hati yang langka dari seorang anak manusia. Semoga Alloh melipatgandakan rahmatNya atas beliau.

Berikut salah satu lagunya yang cukup populer “Wild World” yang dire-package oleh Mr.Big

Petikan kisah hidupnya dari wikipedia:

Cat Stevens (lahir dengan nama Stephen Demetre Georgiou, London, 21 Juli 1948, dan sekarang bernama Yusuf Islam) terutama dikenal sebagai seorang penulis lagu dari Britania Raya.

Pada awal karir musiknya, Georgiou mengambil nama Cat Stevens. Sebagai Cat Stevens, ia berhasil menjual 40 juta album, kebanyakan pada tahun 1960-an dan 1970-an. Lagu-lagunya yang paling populer termasuk “Morning Has Broken“, “Peace Train“, “Moonshadow”, “Wild World”, “Father and Son”, “Matthew and Son”, dan “Oh Very Young”.

Stevens menjadi seorang mualaf dan memeluk agama Islam pada tahun 1978 setelah mengalami near-death experience. Ia lalu mengambil nama Yusuf Islam dan menjadi seorang pendakwah vokal agamanya yang baru. Satu dasawarsa kemudian ada kontroversi ketika ia melontarkan pernyataan mendukung fatwa yang dikeluarkan menentang penulis Salman Rushdie, dan pada tahun 2004 namanya kembali dibicarakan lagi setelah ia ditolak masuk Amerika Serikat karena nama ditemukan pada sebuah daftar tidak boleh terbang (no-fly list). Ternyata terjadi kekeliruan dan yang dicari adalah orang lain bernama Youssouf Islam.

Yusuf Islam sekarang tinggal di London bersama istri dan lima anaknya di mana ia seorang anggota jamaah yang aktif. Ia mendirikan yayasan kemanusiaan Small Kindness yang mulanya menolong korban kelaparan di Afrika dan sekarang membantu ribuan anak yatim dan keluarga di Balkan, Indonesia, dan Irak. Islam juga mendirikan yayasan kemanusiaan Muslim Aid tetapi meninggalkannya sebagai Ketua pendiri pada 1999.

Sebuah transformasi anak manusia yang mengharu biru dunia, menjadikannya contoh teladan bagi siapa saja yang mau belajar. Belajar bahwa karunia hidayah Alloh itu bisa turun kapan saja, kepada siapa saja dan dimana saja….

Nikmatilah sebuah lagu lagi dari Yusuf Islam berikut ini, lagu kesukaan saya: Father & Son, yang juga di re-package oleh Boyzone.

Visit also Yusuf Islam’s official website : http://www.yusufislam.com/

May Alloh be always with you…

Wassalam,

Diemen, 22-11-08

copyright Carmen-Francesca BANCIU

AS YOU LIKE IT:

(BItte  unten klicken)

CAT STEVENS

GOOD MORNING (SINGING IN THE RAIN)

EDVARD GRIEG PEER GYNT, MORNING MOOD

NAGEEB GARDIZI plays Edvard Grieg´s “MORNING MOOD”

Es geht natürlich auch so:

Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing:  The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue,  Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.

~ Lamentations 3:21-23

For this fresh morning, for this new beginning, I give thanks.  It is a day blessed with life, with hope, and the promise of good work for my hands, sweet laughter for my ears, savory food for my mouth, new roads to walk for my feet, and the smile of my sweetheart for my eyes.  

Thank you Lord for this precious gift. 

xxoo

xxoo Morning Has Broken

 lyrics (written by Eleanor Farjeon)

Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation; praise ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!

xxoo