Thursday, August 24, 2006

sounds of the neighbourhood

Today, the sun is flooding in from my balcony. Outside it's bright and in the neighbourhood, I can hear the sounds of children playing and laughing. It's strange how the noise of children is the same in every language.

There is a kindergarten and a temple across from each other near my house. On Mondays, around 6am I hear the gong of the massive bell. The sound is so intense that it vibrates inside my body. Like the sound waves flow through me. Really I feel it just as much as I hear it, but it is somehow not invasive.

On weekdays I wake up with the sounds of children playing. I must admit it's pleasant. Today I can hear someone playing 'Ring-Around-the-Rosie' on a piano. To me this seems even more Western than something like 'Yankee Doodle', for some reason. I remember how surprised I was when I discovered that 'Ring-Around-the-Rosie' was about the Black Plague in Europe. No one ever tells you that when you are a kid!

Anyways, the tune has shifted to a 'Chopsticks' duet now. And as the children return to class after their break, I should also return from mine to get ready for work.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yankee Doodle is interesting because it was written by the British to make fun of the Americans. The Brits had a macaroni club which was about discussing cultivated things in the 1700s and the song makes fun of Americans sticking a feather in their hat and calling it macaroni.

Anonymous said...

the Macaroni Penguin is named after the feather in his cap.

Aw cute!