Courage kill

He is a man I like

But people look at him in dislike;

For his domineering behavior

When trying to be a savior.

He saved our village from the Kyeshe contest

As his hostilities were unwontedly the greatest

The relation of two villages was made into the toughest

Bringing his personal image to the highest.

He was called by many names;

Teingyen Wugpa and Tiger were usually carried like flames,

Wugpa dropped school after some brawls

In which he made teachers crawl.

I can say he is the courageous man

Because of his courage, the family name now demeans;

When the police caught him in the jungle

For the theft, his life now bungles.

Going inside the Lhakhang one night

And the live-size Ku’s blinded the sight

To raid he wasn’t afraid

The old precious Kus for his life’s aid.

The police whipped him to death

The blood rolled on the earth

The effect he had none

As he only said, I was only the one.

Was the policeman lazy?

Or the policeman crazy?

For he was tied his both hands

And not allowed to have even the slightest bands.

The captain of the war, a bold man

Done the boldest, never before had a man,

Did, what ought not to do

A good man attempts to do.

Glossary

Kyeshe: fight catching waist. Like wrestling.

Lhakhang: Buddhist temple.

Teingyen Wugpa: deadly owl.

Ku: statue.

The poem is a true story of my man. Nobody dares to do bad things in a bold way like him. Inspired by his boldness…

Names’ Matter

Why is Barack Obama called Obama?

Name is not merely a name. It’s not only used for identification and identity. Name, however, truly shows the personalities and attributes of a person. The name means a lot. I would like to recall those typical names.

There was Nagchung (Sharchop: black), whom I met in class seven, who had a black face and black heart.

There is Zangmo(good), who does all good things for her own benefits… eh…to others.

And there is Gunda Raj(goonda king) from India, who does all goonda things

And Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth), who always talk all ills about good Queen Elizabeth

There is Phenchung (helper), who speaks about others and fills his own pocket.

And Dangpo and Mottay(fat) are really fatty dangpos.

And you know Towpai (cow’s name) face looks like the shape of a cow’s face.

Samzang is the person of good heart and full of religious conduct. One of my characters in the book is also Samzang who is beguiled by Ratu, the Tatu(naughty) in the book.

All these bad –sounding names are not named now. Many people like to have westernized names, for Bhutanese, there is Sonam David Backhang or popestar Jackson Dorji or Sara Chokiss. Nowadays, many Bhutanese names are a combination of rich celebrities around the world… for example, Jigdrel Uwang Cheks (JUC), a bit difficult to pronounce to a typical Bhutanese people. One name or three names, a person still remains as who she/he is, OR does it have some force in these powerful sounding names. Well…It has for those modern-likable people.

What is Religion?

The world of illusion;

Undefined of, I provoke, delusion

Some say it is the fount of aggressiveness,

Sans description in the compressiveness.

Apostasy too a nihilisms pinnacle in crime,

Shall never trek to nirvana

Alienation of suffering we wanna,

Elicit is the land of joy and manna.

It stipulates mothers of samsaric desire

As a detector, won’t lavishing a mare,

Religion by whom it detests,

Deluge to labyrinth samsara fastest.

Dreamingly dwelling in a mystery region,

Dedicators sin is a ransom by religion,

Altruist it adores that bears mercies;

A practitioner shall lucre many fancies.

Religion counsels us to pray,

Magnitude to discard being samsaric’s prey;

It adversely advocates being parsimony,

In addition, hotch-potch the learning of economy.

Our sublime mind never realizes,

When passionately, life get summarize,

After religion’s profound knowledge life gets discourage,

Thus, for the cessation scourge.

Reincarnation of Lama, the true racy;

We worldly lover never understanding seem dicy;

Some carp religion with horror;

Forlorn that path to heaven gets an error.

Delve the indebt to virtuous,

Are the impetus instruments to victorious?

Virtuous is a next life summons;

Jekyll and Hyde are miracle judges in common.

Why some rebirth in the family of tycoon,

Other in hut houses, on top homeless by the typhoon;

Past phenomena give the present fruition,

Never regain by fortution.

True action commitment, reap in bliss

Peace of pleasure and joy in a bliss that we shall kiss.

Note: This poem (an original version/not edited) was written by my brother Karma Dendup, 17 years ago. I didn’t understand when he read this piece to me often. But it inspired me a lot. Thank you bro. What I am now is part of you.