Little Gifts 2023

In 2023 the IPA in Culture Committee will give you again each month a little gift from various areas of culture, something that may intrigue, amuse, or touch you, something to discover, explore, remember, linger on or simply enjoy. You may also find our little gifts of 2021,  2021 year of short films  and our 2022 musical gifts ).

With best wishes from the IPA in Culture Committee 
Cordelia Schmidt-Hellerau (Chair)

February: Jackson Pollock Action Painting

Watch the artist in his creative dialogue with his work emerging on the canvas.

May: "Kitsune Wedding" by Akira Kurosawa

December: William Butler Yeats 

He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Inwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light, I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

March: Samuel Beckett, Poem

Photo: Johanna Velt,

Paris je voudrais que mon amour meure
qu'il pleuve sur le cimitière
et les ruelles où je vais
pleurant celle qui crut m'aimer

ich möchte daß meine Liebe stürbe
daß es regnet auf den Friedhof
und in die Gassen wo ich gehe
jene beweinend die mich zu lieben glaubte
(übersetzt aus dem Französichen von Elmar Tophoven)

I would like my love to die
and the rain to be falling on the graveyard
and on me walking the streets
mourning the first and last to love me
(translated from the French by the author)

quisiera que mi amor muriese
y que lloviera sobre el cementerio
y las callejas por las que camino
llorando a aquélla que creyó amarme
(traducida del francés por Jenaro Talens)

November: Yael Deckelbaum - Prayer Of The Mothers

A whisper of ocean wind is blowing from far away
And laundry is flapping to the shadow of the wall
Between the sky and the land there are people who want to live in peace
Don't give up, keep dreaming of peace and prosperity
When will the walls of fear melt, when will we return from exile
And my gates will open to what is truly good.
Come on sleep (another sunrise)
Come on sleep (and another morning is here)
We will catch (a mother sends)
A pigeon for you (along with a prayer)
Fly pigeon.
Don't believe (Her child to school)
We will laugh with the child (to the sound)
So that he may sleep (of war)
The walls of fear will some day melt, and I will return from exile
My gates shall open to what is truly good.
Leymah Gbowee: I'd like to take this time to congratulate the women of Women Wage Peace
I want to thank you for standing up for peace alongside your Palestinian sisters.
I want to thank you and let you know that In the world that we live in peace is possible only when women, Women of integrity and faith stand up for the future of their children.
Congratulations, it is my hope
That you will continue to battle for peace in a constructive way
And I look forward to the day that I will come and join you.
Thank you for the children of Israel, thank you for the children of Palestine.
Thank you! Peace! Shalom!
From the north to the south, from the west to the east
Hear the prayers of the mothers, bring them peace.