All shining moments…

The brightest light comes from the darkness alone.
And a woman looks prettier in twilight,
Ear-rings sets shining in the evening alone.
A saddle’s studs sparkle in the night,
The Gumuda flower blooms in the evening,
Homesick horses neigh at dawn’s setting.
Listening to songs make the twilight shine in peoples’ emanating love.
Sunshine is brightest when coming from the clouds’ gap.
And Karma alone is the truth’s sap.
In a shooting star’s flash, light’s unique rays converse,
Giving birth to a son, to light up the universe.

© G. Mend-Ooyo
Translated by Sh. Tsog
From: “All shining moments”

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

The moon over an old temple

From behind the temple the moon is ascending.

Buddha's ancient aureole gleams on the shiny top.
>From a bamboo flute a lonely tune flows suspiring:

Nostalgia lingers of a melancholy, wagging heart.

Wild grass sprouts in the slit of the stairway stones
Along the road that leads to the golden-lit Buddha!
The image of Buddha is getting clearer and clearer.
The Living Buddha’s domain is hard to see in the
starlight.
From behind the temple the moon is ascending.
Buddha's suavely sieving evening twilight and
The grave, sad tune of the flute confer solace
To the pilgrims, who came from back of beyond.

Simple alcoves, old scrolls of painted characters.

It's a heavenly renewed temple filled with mystery
The silhouettes reflect the people's world in deep
Pondering to became like Buddha's light eminated heart.
Whatever you want, just show off looking at Buddha's
Image, where the cross-legged Buddha sits abidingly.
Let the heavenly bamboo flute flaw out its pneuma
While the moon from behind the temple is ascending.

© G. Mend-Ooyo
Translated by Imre P. Zsoldos svd
From: “All shining moments”

G. Mend-Ooyo was born into a herdsman family in Dar’ganga, Mongolia 26 September 1952. He grew up riding horses and tending sheep, as well as moving from one place to another with camel caravans. He graduated later from the Mongolian National University of Pedagogy and received his Master’s degree at the University of Arts and Culture, as well as his Doctorate of Literature. After having taught several years, he became reporter and literary editor of the Mongolian radio and in 1981 general editor of the National Mongolian Television. From 1990 onwards he has been executive director and vice-president of the Mongolian Cultural Foundation of which he became president in 1994. He is also president of the Mongolian PEN-Club and founded the Mongolian Academy of Culture, as well as GUNU, a magazine for culture, literature and poetry.

G. Mend-Ooyo is a most productive writer. His oeuvre contains over 20 books of poetry, narrative and essays. His poetry, which has been honoured with a number of literary prizes, has been translated in several languages. He is president and organizer of the XXVII World Congress of Poets, Mongolia