Happy third birthday, dear Academy!

Today is a third Birthday of our Traditional Wing Chun Academy Ukraine and first time it is celebrated by the branch in Oulu, Finland!

Training is just one of the things we do together. Today we’re publishing our poems, the creation of which is dedicated to the celebration and the topic was free to choose!

Possession 

To control I need to be the one
others depend on,
and that’s how I got her.
She needed a place to paint, I was kind for her.
I let her hand to take mine, hang on top,
like a correct gentleman.

The world turns to ink in her hands,
calm and gentle, always in gloves, proper lady in black.
On canvas her shadows are blue, grass evergreen
those birds, I can hear their wings flutter.
Her figure is the window of the world,
her eyes souls to lure life deep.

Eagerly I watch her hands, smell her hair
let her know my taste of sweat and long
to see her paint my figure, to name me a colour
cast my shadow in her eyes, my name on her lips.
Blue painter, in this room you are mine.
And before you know, there is no need to sunlight,
for I’ll be your light, my little bird, I’ll nourish you.
Young hearts should skip beats for me,
how come yours is still silent?

“Are you afraid of death?”
she frightens me with a flush,
ink dry in her hands, face behind her locks.
“No, it’s life that makes me shiver.”
As her nails ungloved, they pierce my hand
the hand she so depends on.
My tiny bird cleaves to my side,
forces me down, grasps me.
Even if I sway, what is done is done.
The colour in the canvas is pure drained red.

By Milla, 30.03.2013

* * *

I was starring to the sun,
and I could see just outlines,
as fast as I can run,
as deeply as I can breath,
I wanted to feel this perfect moment,
simple as a glass of water.

I´m looking into dark,
to see how good is my memory,
to see past or just a spark.
My pulse is slow and sounds like drum,
it echos in the empty space.
I need kilo or just gram.
Because inspiration is like a wind,
random
but even with it you can sail far.

By Martin, 30.03.2013

The significant other 

When you have someone,
special,
significant one.

You can only see the smile,
the grin,
the best part.

No matter what,
or where,
it will always be there.

So don’t worry,
be happy,
and remind them with what you see.

By Lasse, 31.03.2013

—-
Walking throw the forest, no voices around
You can feel your body and your heart sound.
Peacefull nature helps to empty head
When you entrance you never want go back.

By Fanda, 30.03.2013

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

Today’s the day
For my congratulations
To Grandmaster,
SiFu, Simo, and the instructors
(I’m mentioning myself as well
Among them), and to students
Who, although in three different countries situated,
One school they’re representing
As to the same task their lives they dedicated.

Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Finland –
Who would imagine such connection!
But people here
Show their sincere
Appreciation
To the art of self-cognition, body-mind coordination,
Awareness and relaxation.
Because, believe or not, that’s what about
Traditional Wing Chun is in the core –
You better learn of what you’re made and how,
Both bodily and mentally, before
You move to mastering the theory and forms.

Our approach
Is simple yet requires labor:
Self-protection is no easy task.
It consists of ninety-five percent evasion
And self-consciousness, then four
Percent assertiveness and negotiation
Skills, and there is only one percent
Of physically applicable force.

To those who read these lines
With disbelieving smiles,
I offer to consider this:
When was the last time
You were afraid so much
That you could barely move
Or were not able to remember
What come about after you got terrified?
Or maybe you lost temper
When an important issue was at stake,
And gave in to emotions, instead
Of staying cool and taking care
Of the situation?

Whichever is the case, to most of us
It may be easily applied –
I say to most because
Such is the modern education
In the majority of schools,
In families and friendship circles,
That people tend to set and reach their goals,
And think of means when it’s too late
To fix a thing, let alone analyze what happened…

By the way,
In case this somewhat rhymed
And sometimes out-of-rhythm piece of writing
Is giving you a hard time
When it comes to understanding,
Forgive me for this language
Is not my native, and I am creating
This as I am travelling by train,
Which seems to have no internet connection
(Something I would not even think
A train could have some months ago),
That would be of great aid
With translation,
And there is no time to wait for inspiration
For just today our Oulu branch
Of the Wing Chun Academy Ukraine
Of the Wing Chun Kung Fu Association
Decided that each member writes a poem
For congratulation
Of our Academy’s third birthday celebration
And has it ready by the end of day.

But getting back to what I was describing.
A while ago our students were inquiring,
How come we do not practice self-defense
Against some other styles, or even better –
An opponent skilled with using knife.
To this I only can reply:
Read again the lines above
About self-protection,
Make sure that you understand
Completely and in full
What is implied in there –
For nothing more there is to add!
When inner state is out of balance,
There is a very feeble chance
That you’ll be able to perform
Any of the techniques you studied.

It happens so because our system is
A smart interconnected unit,
Where brain and feelings are
Together with the bodily sensations,
And separating them
Into a head, a hand,
A torso, an emotion,
An ache or pleasant itch
Is simply foolish.
So learning certain body moves
Must have a sturdy base of
Total self-control, if you want to succeed
In moments of big fear,
Stress and even of elation,
For any of emotions stir
The system and inhibit
Our decision-making.

So at our training sessions
The students have a chance
To pay attention to their reactions,
And see themselves at unusual angles.
Their whereabouts in the gym
Doubtlessly reflect their behavior
Elsewhere, in routine situations,
As human habits are
The strongest force there is…
So make a constant change a usual thing
And get unused to patterns –
And you obtain a flexible body
Together with agile mind,
Which come with the ability
To think out-of-the-box
And undertake immediate
But vitally effective actions
All the time!

So speaking shortly
What our Wing Chun is all about –
It is creating a new base
For living to the fullest,
Here and now,
And where there’s also place
For past experiences,
Which are awesome teachers,
And future visions that turn to plans
And step by step they materialize –
And after each new conquered hardship,
Which starts within, has influence around,
Right there in the hall we learn to wish
To overcome new challenges
To keep our fears
Leashed by our side,
And make come true
All of our dreams.

Perhaps this poem has become
A bit unrealistic, or idealistic.
If that’s the feeling you now have,
My dear reader,
I urge you – don’t believe the words
You just have read,
But trust your own sensations,
And if you wish,
Come give a try to new manifestations
You will inevitably feel,
Like all of us when training.
For by experiencing things
You live not in a borrowed life,
But in your own.
Is there a better way to be?
Not that I know.

But time to round up.
And this time
I’ll keep it short and simple:
May we be healthy, happy
And fulfilled,
And living every single day
Of our lives – to me
This final phrase
Contains it all.

Happy third birthday, dear Academy!

By Tetyana, 30.03.2013