Poemary: First Poetry Reading Day - Antarctica, King George Island - October, 16th 2009

Poetry inspired in Antarctica

Because poetry joined us

First Poetry Reading Day

Antarctica – King George Island, 2009

Recognizing that the unique character of Antarctica itself represents an

inspiration for protecting its values
Resolution 2 - ATCM XX, Utrecht 1996

Poemary
All the poems in the First Poetry Reading Day
Bellingshausen Station
October 16th 2009
Antarctica, October 16th, 2009
Because poetry joined us
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The First Poetry Reading Day in Antarctica was organized by the neighbor Stations from the
Fildes Peninsula, King George Island.
Participated delegations from:
Chile, China, Russia, Korea and Uruguay
October 16th 2009

Antarctica
Graphic design: W. Fontes

wfontes@montevideo.com.uy
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First Poetry Reading Day in Antarctica

King George Island, Friday, October 16th, 2009
Austral Spring
Scenes from the Poetry Reading Day hold in the Bellingshausen Station.
Welcome
At 13.00 Hs, Mr Alexander Kutsuruba, the Chief
of the Russian “Bellingshausen” Station,
welcomed the delegations participants, offering
them some appetizer in the dining room.
Mr Alexander explained that it was a nice
occasion to celebrate the Russian traditional
winter send-off celebration given the following
Speech:
Dear friends! Today we want to start

the meeting devoted to one of the old Russian
traditions – winter send-off holiday.
In Russia, in the Nothern Hemisphere, Mr. Alxander Kutsuruba, giving the welcome to the
it is observed in early spring and is called participants
“Maslenitsa”.
Here in Antarctics, in October, we are
overcoming the severe and long wintering and
also can mark such spring holiday. It is a
Pancake week. It is an ancient Slavonic
festival and with acceptance of Christianity it
became one of the main humanity events.
And besides, this is a cheerful winter
send-off holiday with light, glad expecting of Maslenitsa speech
warm, sunny spring and then, summer.

The main dish of this festival is
pancakes. We have prepared them at our
kitchen for your, our guests and now I
introduce to you our cook with his handmade
pancakes!
Please taste it and feel yourself at home
at Bellingshausen Russian Station and have a Traditional Russian pancakes
perfect rest!
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After the introductory celebration, people were conducted to the Billiard room, the former cinema room
of the Bellingshausen Station, an appropriate place, decorated according to the event planned.
In the Billiard room, Mr. Alexander Kutsuruba thanked the public and invited them to listen the song
“White Silence” by the Russian artist Vladimir Vysotski, referred to the people who work and live in the
poles, with no sun light…
Following is a translation of the song “White silence” from Vladimir Vysotski
White Silence
Vladimir Vysotski
As the years and centuries and epochs go by

All things strive towards warmth from the blizzard and frost
Why do these birds toward northern lands fly
If for birds to the south the earth must be crossed
Introduction Fame and grandeur to them is not wanted

Underneath all that ice leaves from site
And they'll find a birds paradise granted
As reward for their daring flight
For what could we not live, what could we not dream?

What expelled us to trek on high waves?
We've not seen seen the light's brilliant beam
Seldom brilliance with value behaves
Total quiet - just seagulls like lightning

Feed them emptiness from our empty hands
And rewarding us for our silence
Will be the sound of our song when we land.
Invitation to listen the song “White For so long we have dreamt only white
Silence” from Vladimir Vysotski
Other shades of snow do not exist
We've been blinded by this brilliant light
But the black line of earth can be seen through the mist
Our throats will let go of silence

Our fear like shadow melts away
And rewarding us for our nights of violence
Will be eternal polar day.
North, will, hope, a land without border

Snow without dirt like a life without lies
Ravens will not gouge our eyes to bring order
Because in these parts no raven flies
Those who did not believe in dark prophecies

Never lay in the snow to rest
As reward for their lonely policies
They'll be met by a true friend at last.
“White silence” from Vladimir Vysotski

Russian title: Beloe bezmolvie
Source: http://vv.kulichki.net/vv/eng/songs/lvovsky.html#white_silence
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Opening of the Poetry Reading Day

After the nice song, everybody was ready to begin with Poetry
Reading Day, then Col. Waldemar Fontes, the Chief of the
Uruguayan Station “Artigas”, took over the position of the Master
of Ceremony and chaired the event.
At the beginning Mr. Waldemar addressed an introductory speech
as follows:
Antarctica is a muse that inspires the best feelings.

Many poets are hidden behind the barbs and the strong
winter clothes and when spring is coming, like flowers, those
feelings wants to appears
For that reason we are organizing this Reading Day, to
give those feelings an opportunity to be expressed and also to
be enjoyed when shared.
Poetry has been an important part of our daily lives.
Poems can inspire and make us think about what it means to
Col Waldemar Fontes, as the Master
be a member of the human race. of Ceremony, opened the First Poetry
Reading Day
By just spending a few minutes reading a poem, new
worlds can be revealed.
Taking in mind the Resolution 2 “Aesthetic values of
Antarctica”, adopted in the ATCM XX, Utrecht 1996 we
underline the word expressed there:
The Representatives,
Noting that Antarctica has been the subject of
significant works of art, literature and music;
Recognizing that the unique character of Antarctica
itself represents an inspiration for protecting its values;
Recommend:
Promotion of understanding and appreciation of the
values of Antarctica, in particular its scientific, aesthetic and
wilderness values, including through:
a) Educational opportunities, in particular for young
persons, and
b) The contribution of writers, artists and musicians.
An example of these aesthetic values, was the song

“White Silence” by the Russian artist Vladimir Vysotski, we
have listened.
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CHILDREN READING
And following the spirit of the Resolution 2, it was mentioned the relevance to giving
educational opportunities particularly for the youngest… Then in the King George Island we
have the privilege to share with the children from Villa Las Estrellas, and they are going to
be the first to participate in this reading day.
The youngest in the Island opened the Poetry Reading Day, reading their own compositions,
specially prepared for the event, under the direction of their teacher, Professor Luis Gomez.
The Children and his teacher
From left to right: Camila Madina, Isidora Contreras, Prof Luis Gomez, Col W. Fontes and Carlos Madina
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Carlos Madina Sandoval, 10 years old, son of the Frei Base Commander, he is
a student of the F 50 School in Villa Las Estrellas, (Frei Base, Chile)
He composed and read his own poem: “The beautiful Antarctic nature”
The Beautiful Antarctic Nature

Carlos Madina Sandoval
(Translated by W. Fontes)
Look at the penguins

They are so beautiful
Look at the seal
She is so crazy
If something I know
I´m not going to go
As the sea lion swim

Swimming without splash
The whales swim
While looking them to dance
Carlos Madina Sandoval,

But if you plan to remove me
read his poem “The beautiful
you´ll feel remorse Antarctic Nature”
As the skua sings

Obstreperously
As the petrel flight
Keeping the laurel
But if don´t sorry

I´m going to come back
As allegates the tern

While looks at the kite
As the moss sinks
In a summit
If I cannot come back

I´m not going to cry
As the wind blowing

Making the waves
Neither ropes
Nor tails
If I have to go
I´ll come back
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Camila Madina Sandoval, 13 years old, daughter of the Frei Base Commander,
she is a student of the F 50 School in Villa Las Estrellas, (Frei Base, Chile)
He composed and read his own poem: “The penguins”
The Penguins
Camila Madina Sandoval
(translated by W. Fontes)
Nice animals
so clumsy and agile
beautiful colors
Shining in the night
Camila Madina Sandoval,
Under the stars light
read his poem
“The penguins” exalting their beauty
The penguins are my friends

They play and laugh with me
Its feathers, orange, white
yellow and black,
When sink in the sea
Are like a party.
It´s funny to see them

sliding in the cold ice
and more laughing…
when they walk
Even if they bumble

They dive and swim like a fish
The penguin is the best bird

Even if they don´t know how to flight
It compensates with its swimming
So beautiful, so small
They support the coldest days
In the terrific Antarctic winter
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Isidora Contreras Soto, 10 years old, daughter the Aerodrome Chief, she is a
student of the F 50 School in Villa Las Estrellas, (Frei Base, Chile). She composed
and read a story written for the occasion: “Daniela and Mariana”
Daniela and Mariana

Isidora Contreras Soto
Once upon a time it was a seal called Daniela.
She was living alone in Antarctica.
The animals were gone and only were around

some people from the crew and the school children and
their families Isidora Contreras Soto, reading
his story “Daniela and Mariana”
The seal was very bored. And something
amusing happened.
It had arrived another seal, named Mariana.

They became very good friends and walked around
everywhere
They were a tiny bit naughty and they enjoyed

together.
Daniela said to be with Mariana, was more

entertaining than being alone.
One day, the children of the F-50 School made a

trip to the Russian Station to read tales and poems.
Daniela and Mariana went also to listen the reading.
As the seals arrived, the children laugh off
When the children returned to the School, Daniela

and Mariana become in very good friends of them.
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OTHER AUTHORS READING
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OTHER AUTHORS READING
As a tribute for all the poets who inspired in Antarctica and the ices, some
compositions were reading in the event.
Special thanks to the poetry of:
• Johann Jamneck (South Africa)

• Mrs Delia Musso (Uruguay)
• Dra Silvia Peruggia (Uruguay)
• Carlos Castillo Toledo (Chile)
• Li Bai (China)
• Su Shi (China)
• Petr Loginov (Russia)
• Vladimir Vysotski (Russia)
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Dr. Wu Songdi, (China), serving as Medical Doctor in the Chinese Great Wall Station , read a poem
from Su Shi..
Su Shi, was born in Mei Shan, Si Chuan Province about nine hundred years ago. In Chinese literature
history, Su Shi, together with his brother Su Zhe and father Su Xun, were all famous and were called
Three Sus. But Su Shi’s contribution was the greatest.
This poem is famous for expressing peoples' feeling at an important Chinese tradition festival, the
mid-autumn festival that is celebrated on the August 15th of the lunar calendar. It describes the
people especially who are far away from homes hope family reunion.
When will the moon

be clear and bright
Su Shi
(Translated by himself)
How rare the moon, so round and clear!

With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky,
I don't now know in the celestial sphere,
What name this festive night goes by?
I want to fly home, riding the air,

But fear the ethereal cold up there
Dr. Wu Songdi reading a poem of The jade and crystal mansions are so high!
Su Shi Dancing to my shadow,
I feel no longer the mortal tie.
She rounds the vermilion tower,

Stoops to silk-pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.
Why does she, bearing us no grudge,
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?
But rare is perfect happiness,

The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.
I only pray our life be long,
And our souls together heavenward fly!
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Lt. Silvana Ferrero (Uruguay) Meteorologist from the Artigas Station read verses from Mrs. Delia
Musso.
Mrs. Delia Musso is a poet who was born in Uruguay and she is the daughter of Professor Julio C.
Musso, the founder of the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute.
Delia Musso has been an active collaborator of the Antarctic activity and during her visit to Antarctica
in 1995 she wrote some poems.
From those poems, Silvana Ferrero read a selection of verses
Antarctic Verses
Delia Musso
(Translated by Waldemar Fontes)
I approached
To the open bay
Blue receptacle
bristling with latencies
On the shore layed

and unperturbed
passed,
ice blocks
as white segments
of emerging buds
Burnished algal gardens

Intertwined arabesques
among its translucent edges
sometimes mimicking
stylized tendrils
Invisibles rowers
to the sound of their oars Silvana Ferrero reading a selection
hit the water of verses of Mrs. Delia Musso
emitting heartbeats
of giant drum
In the distance,
under blue dome
superb and harmonic
white sculptures
ending the summer sleeper
began their finite pilgrimage
The sound
of an unknown recitation
it was straightening
from that bay
like an Arabic Nun
sacred ink cup
concealed poet
who sang for me
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Miss Olga Stephanova (Russia), professional documentary filmmaker of Moscow studios, member of
the Bellingshausen Station crew, read a poem from the book "Katabatic Wind" by Petr Logvinov.
Petr Logvinov was a former Antarctic researcher who worked in the 32 SAE in 1987 at the Russian
Molodezhnaya Station. He composed some poems dedicated to the severe winter conditions of
Eastern Antarctica, blizzards and heavy snowfalls, which require constant psychological work on its
overcoming and comprehension of real life sense.
"Katabatic Wind"
Petr Logvinov
(Translated by Slava Nebotov)
To bring yourself to harmony,

to strike as a fish against an ice,-
this is an also a skill.
It's not understandable for everybody,
For what is it needed,

and what's the use of it
when your heart is ironed
by the katabatic wind.
This wind will iron out all the folds,

will gulp down all your doubts.
And all the habits will buried

Olga Stephanova reading a poem under the South Cross.
from the book "Katabatic Wind" by Weakness will be took out
Petr Logvinov
by the lawful power of wind,
And sleepless wind will page

the night book with malice.
That is why we have chosen
the escape to the country
of frosts and blizzards
as a mean to tune up
the sound of heart.
And, having learnt

a devil taste to the life
behind a limit
of distances and feelings
through the soul and body,
we will immerse our hearts
into real love,
catching the moment of meeting.
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Mr. Bernardo de los Santos (Uruguay), Senior Meteorologist of the Artigas Station read a poem
from Dra. Silvia Peruggia,
Dra. Silvia Peruggia, has been the medical doctor of the Artigas Station in many seasons from 2000
to now and she fall in love with Antarctica since the very first moment.
She wrote many poems and each moment of her seasons has been reflected through their verses.
Antarctica
Silvia Peruggia
(Translated by Waldemar Fontes)
Antarctica
Timeless white lady,
Silent, quiet, tender,
Voluble, beautiful
Your purity, invaded by me

It remember impetuously
That you huge me
As a tender mother
Giving my space
To my tininess and thoughts
Mr. Bernardo de los Santos reading a
poem from Silvia Peruggia
I feel you sweet
I feel you bitter
I feel you
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Mr. Tian Zidong, (China) has participated in five Antarctic campaigns as a member of the 8th, 13th, 15th,
19th and 25th Chinese Antarctic Expedition.
He spent the whole winter in the Antarctic in the 8th, 19th and 25th expedition.
He is lively and very active man, and he loves life thinking there is always beauty and poetry in life.
Today he read a poem of Li Bai (701-762) the greatest romantic poet of the Tang dynasty(618-907) and of
China of all times.
Li Bai was the first one to absorbed widely the folk literature in his time and the folk songs of several
dynasties before Tang to form his unique poetry.
He had an extraordinary art talent and boundless art power. He got the title of “Celestial Poet” as the honor
of his great achievement in poetry. Following is an abstract of the poem
Invitation To Wine
Li Bai
(Translated by Lee Chunlei)
Do you not see the Yellow River come from the sky,
Rushing into the sea and never come back?
Do you not see the mirror bright in chamber high
Grieve over your snow-white hair that once was silken back?
When hopes are won, oh, drink your fill in high delight
And never leave your wine cup empty in moonlight!

Heaven has made us talents; we're not made in vain.
A thousand gold coins spent, more will turn up again.
Kill a cow, cook a sheep and let us merry be,
And drink three hundred cupfuls of wine in high glee!
Dear friends of mine,

Cheer up, cheer up!
I invite you to wine.
Do not put down your cup!
Mr. Tian Zidong reading the poem
I will sing you a song, please hear,
from Li Bai, “Invitation to wine” O hear! Lend me a willing ear!
What difference will rare and costly dishes make?

I want only to get drunk and never to wake.
How many great men were forgotten through the ages?
Great drinkers are better known than sober sages.
The Prince of Poets feasted in his palace at will,

Drank wine at ten thousand coins a cask and laughed his fill.
A host should not complain of money he is short;
To drink together we'd sell things of any sort.
The fur coat worth a thousand coins of gold

And flower-dappled horse may both be sold
To buy good wine that we may drown the woes age-old
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Dr Gonzalo Suárez is the Medical Doctor of the Chilean Air Force “Frei” base.
He was a member of the organizational committee for this event and he had the responsibility
to replace Mr. Carlos Castillo Toledo in to read his poem, due to a call of duty.
Mr Carlos Castillo Toledo (Chile) is serving in the Chilean Air Force, lover of literature and a
promoter of poetry reading between his people. He tried to organize a Poetry Workshop in the
Frei Base and their efforts were compensated in the concretion of this poetry reading day.
For this event he wrote a poem expressing his love to Antarctica and while he was flying in a
Twin Otter from Punta Arenas to King George Island, Dr Gonzalo Suarez, read for him.
Antarctica a Dream
Carlos Castillo Toledo
Everybody talked about your purity

Your white beauty
your great richness
Where there was a pure life
Pure life in your seas

In your ancient ice
In the air you breath
Only in imaginary dreams
Dreams that many have

And would like to contemplate Dr Gonzalo Suárez, reading the
Dreams coming with me poem from Carlos Castillo
“Antarctica a dream”
To admire and protect you
Protecting because
So much damage you had suffered
And I don´t want to lose
Your pure and blue sky
Pure and blue

In your white reflected
In my dreams to long for
For to be here, close to you
Antarctica, my reached dream
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Tribute
Honour to a fallen Antarctic expeditionary recently

deceased at the South Africa Station SANAE IV, the
Meteorologist Johann Jamneck, 25 years old.
Johann Jamneck, was a young meteorologist from

Johannesburg, member of the South African National Antarctic
Expedition's (Sanae) 48th overwintering team.
He was 25 years old and died on October the 4th when

a block of ice fell on him during a crevasse rescue techniques
practice.
He wrote before arriving Antarctica "I have always had
a fascination for the old 'Terra Incognito', so was overwhelmed
when the news arrived that I had been give the rare
opportunity to lay eyes on the white continent. I have a healthy
interest in all things wild and wonderful in this world of ours."
Jamneck was the co-editor of SANAE 48, the electronic
newsletter of the 48th SANAE team.
Johann Jamneck
Feelings and emotions lived in the station where written Member of the 48th SANAE team
Died in Antarctica on 4th October 2009
in this newsletters.
His poetry was with us in this event.
http://www.sanap.org.za/sanap_sanae/sanae_newsletters/sanae-48-news-april2009.pdf
http://www.sanap.org.za/sanap_sanae/sanae_newsletters.html
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Dra. Silvana Benitez (Uruguay), is the Medical Doctor from the Artigas Station.
She is member of the overwintering team and likes the adventure and the discovery. In her plans is
the idea to continue approaching to Antarctica new points of view.
For this event, Silvana was a member of the organizational committee and acted as assistant in all
details of the event.
In the occasion she read the poem from Johann Jamneck, “The force infinity”
The Force Infinity

Johann Jamneck
Sanae 48 Newsletter. June 2009
It lies deep inside all of us,

stirring our inner being
Always there, but very seldom seen
Filling the soul with hope
from youth till days of old.
Light as the wind

Free as the air
Impossible to fathom
Yet always everywhere.
For Men struggle it to describe,

What the body has imbedded deep inside Dra. Silvana Benitez reading a
resume on the life of Johann Jamneck
For the two always eternally joined, and his poem, “The force infinity”
like a proud groom and his virgin bride.
It will never leave you lost and forlorn

For strength ye shall find in it
Just as a tower is safe and strong
It personify itself thru inspiration

That little bit of spark
which started all creation
With it one will burst out in song:
"Start afresh, as with me

Forever let the eternal music be
Listen to the glorious melody
Playing deep inside

In need to manifest itself, nothing to hide
Feel the rhythm move you,
No note to high or low
Not a frase to fast or slow.
The spirit of the music can never die

A repertoire of never ending songs
Bravo o master Composer!
The Bacchus of music and we the drunken ones"
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READING THEIR OWN POEMS
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READING THEIR OWN POEMS
Antarctica is a source for inspiration and many overwintering discovered themselves

as poets
The Koreans from the King Sejong Station had wanted to participate but due to bad
weather conditions they could not arrive in the event
Besides that they prepared some compositions that we are including
Some compositions are so splendid, others are simple… but all have in common the
feeling that only the people who had the opportunity to know Antarctica can understand.
Congratulations to the poetry of:

o Pei Fuyu,(China): “Soaring of friendship and courage”
o Jury Gavrilov,(Russia): “Wait me”
o Waldemar Fontes,(Uruguay): “Loneliness in the snows”
o Horacio San Martin,(Chile) “Adventure”
o Freddy Zuñiga, (Chile): “Antarctica”
o Wilder Acosta (Uruguay): “White eyes”
o Chen Wen (China): “Lichen”
o Alberto Merino (Chile): “Antarctic twilight”
o Walter Monzón (Uruguay): “White conquest”
o José Guerra (Chile): The white lady”
o Lee Chunlei (Chile): “Antarctic love”
o Carlos Odera, (Uruguay): “Antarctica my friend”
o Young Keun Jin (Korea): “Ozone Layer” and “Question?”
o Kwang-Joo Ko (Korea): “Honeymoon in the Antarctica”
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Dr. Young Keun Jin (Korea), is the Chief of the King Sejong Station.
He is also a principal researcher in Korea Polar Research Institute. This overwinter is his second
campaign in the King Sejong Station after the first campaign on 1992. He has participated about ten
summer campaigns in Antarctica since 1993.
He likes to read and occasionally to write poems. In these poems, he tries to illuminate human
attitude and feeling from Antarctic nature and life.
Ozone layer
Young Keun Jin
News papers report ozone layer is severely

destroyed,
specially in Antarctica
Ozone layer is invisible,
and only detected by instruments
Known to protect ultraviolet rays unseen,
very dangerous
Dr. Young Keun Jin, wrote the
poems “Question?” and “The Ozone
In a bright day in Antarctica,
Layer” we don’t know how ozone layer and
ultraviolet rays are
We only enjoy the beautiful day
with putting on thick sun cream as a clown
and wearing ultraviolet-proof sunglasses
making all things different colored
Question? Although we don’t know where ozone layer
Young Keun Jin and ultraviolet rays are …
An ice berg is floating

Many seals are approaching to the berg
Ice berg is a good place for resting
Seals are trying to climb on the berg
using their pins are good in swimming,
not in climbing
Some seals are climbing and lying on the berg

Some seals are just looking them and returning
to the water
Hey, seals returning,
Do you envy them on the berg?
Hey, seals lying,
Do you think them in the water foolish?
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Mr. Kwang-Joo Ko (Korea), is a electrical engineer in charge of Power Plant in the King Sejong
Station.
He is very friendly making bright atmosphere in the King Sejong Station.
He likes to write poems before, so this winter was good time for him to write poetry.
In this poem, he expresses his first feeling in the Antarctica like a bridegroom
Honeymoon in the Antarctica

Kwang-Joo Ko
(translated by Young Keun Jin)
Land of the wind

Land of the snow
Land of excitement rushing with snow
Shyly pushing my cheek to cold wind
Daringly sticking out my face to cold sun
White snow
Warm snow
Falling snow in my mind with warmth
Making snowman like childhood
Cleaning snow to make a road in mind
As hard winter time passes,

Kwang-Joo Ko, wrote his poem
Melted snow on the hill is flowing as a stream “Honeymoon in the Antarctica”
I and you
Remember the honeymoon in the Antarctica
What a cold and excited night
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Mr. Carlos Odera (Uruguay) is the Senior Electrical Engineer of the Artigas Station.
He is always a nice person, funny and friendly and during this winter he discovered himself as a poet.
In the occasion he read one of their poems referred to the feeling of friendship and brotherhood he
found in Antarctica.
Antarctica My Friend
Carlos Odera
(Translated by Silvana Benitez)
You adopted me when I arrived,

Antarctica my friend
You were like a mother
With your white hands, coated mine
With your cheerful breeze

that day, you sang lullabies
to me, my friend.
You covered me with white sheets

Smiling in my dreams, day after day
I was learning more about your fauna
And with time, I knew to love it
In dreams my Fiend
We were playing together those days,
I had to see you
To know about your feelings
I dreamed about me having a big treasure

And after some time
I learned that I already had them
Mr Carlos Odera, reading his poem
“Antarctica my friend”
Were the friends I met
And in spite of their languages, I understood them
And when time to leave will come Antarctica My
friend
I will feel the same than that day

I will be sad, I will leave friends here
I will not heard their smile
And when memories of you will show up

I will know that I love you, for that reason
To let them listen your breeze music
I leave you new friends, My Antarctica.
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Mr. Lee Chunlei (China) is a communication engineer, from the Chinese Station “Great Wall”. He acts as the
translator and the secretary of the Chief being very well known by all stations.
In this winter he understood that poetry shows compliment on the silence of the Antarctic, an untouched and pure
site on the world.
That´s inspires him to write about the relationship between human beings and the Antarctic, concluding that people
must respect the nature taking care of it and living together in harmony with her.
Antarctic love
Lee Chunlei
After the remote pristine

Through the desolate history
After glorious pioneer's fearless expedition
Usher in the dawn of scientific exploration
Don’t song the praise for your sanitary

Don’t eulogies your blizzards strength
Watched the fortitude bird, toward the wind, flying
Watched the leisurely fish, let the heavy wave, kiss his
back Mr. Lee Chunlei, reading his poem
“Antarctic love”
Wow, Antarctic, you lie down there silently, emit out
historical faint fragrance
Made me deeply charmed
Deeply charmed by your silenced Although you are silence, you have great
Silence is your greatest point energy in the silence
Human being had realized
We are admire the natural choice That Always Exist
Concentrate all the silence beauty to you The strength from natural law
We are envy your silence
Outface the world glory like the short time blooming The silence of you, covered for thousands of
cereus years
Becoming, melting, reborn, just a circle of a
Moss is silence to growth everyday iceberg
For to witness the sun's glory The silence of you
Huge wave is shouting Will continue on the history
Saying the persist emotion to the bright moon
The lovely kid of sea seal
You record the endless thinking in the attitude of Declare the life is tender and strong
silence Warmly wind is blowing
Record the details of the unknown world The smell of spring is everywhere
One tiny dust
Maybe reflect the length longer than human history We are coming here
Just uncover part of your sanitary veil, witness
Tide raises and down your mysterious
Penguin is coming and leaving here, growing and When we are leaving
multiply We’ll full of sweet
Jade Ocean, blue sky Full of delight
Iceberg walks into the human long cherished dream With a heart of warm and universal love
Silently, leave
Millions of year’s silence
Just to keep the great truth shining We are so love you, Antarctic
Severe cold We are truly love you
Just a shelter let covet person un-dare to access
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Mr. José Guerra (Chile) is a member of the Chilean Air Force crew and he is a folk singer and a
musician.
For the occasion he wrote a poem referred to his feelings about Antarctica as a tender and sensitive
woman with nice and strong personality but very hard to approach.
The White Lady

José Guerra Rodríguez
You are so beautiful and white

Your whispering in my ears makes me sigh
It makes me feel so exhilarating
That you make my face happy
You have got me captive
Oh white and dreamed

The crowds on the earth
Wish and whish you so on
Coveted you are, my loved
Your light breeze in my face

Mr. José Guerra reading his poem Your mountains, white as the wool
“The white lady” Nothing compared to your beauty
your silence lull me
You are a lady, soft and quiet

You seduce me
But when angry, Oh my loved!
Your winds blow menacing
Shaking to my insides
When sad, you mourn white tears

And it is like stars in my hands
Making me think, that the effort
To know you, was not vain
When the spring arrives

You let go of little by little
You go away from my hands
As the water into the fingers
Oh loved Antarctica
Who can resist your prettiness
If when they got to know you and they leave
Mourn tears of bitterness
28
Mr. Walter Monzón (Uruguay) is the Senior Communications operator in the Artigas Station. He
has been in Antarctica in many seasons from 1993 till now and he fall in love to Antarctica, as many
other before.
He likes poetry and for this event, he wrote a poem describing the Antarctica, their best things and
also their hard moments, concluding that the researcher who arrived to conquer Antarctica, became
in a “conquered conqueror”
White Conquest
Walter Monzón
As in a profound dream
like few in the world
who have come here,
I am a privileged
Grateful, day after day.
Your natural brave

Provides an unique show.
Beautiful, magic, cute,
Also ferocious, indomitable.
Your law is unforgivable

many has punished,
those that did not respected you
live today in our memories.
Poets that write to you

Those are engaged with you
Also those who beg,
to protect and care of you.
There are those who love you

After seen you only once
All with happiness
No distinction, no flag.
They thank you in such a way

For the great opportunity Mr. Walter Monzón reading his
To show to humanity poem “White conquest”
The reason of your existence.
“Peace and science Land”

We offer tribute to you
And to those courage men
You had bewitched
We inherit from them

The passion to conquer you
And today in verses I declare
I am a conquered conqueror.
29
Mr. Alberto Merino (Chile) is a member of the Chilean Navy Station in Fildes Port and he likes
adventures, arts and poetry.
For the occasion he wrote a poem describing the sublime moment when the sun got into the sea,
coloring the sky with thousand of reflexes and souls, representing his feelings.
I was inspired by these verses of love and

Dedicated and appealing to conscience
Untold records to our memories
Like water springs in a treadmill
You all ambassadors of the world, transmit
that
Here in peace we live and is not other the
story
Antarctica, the loved one, not spotted, the

first
Mr. Alberto Merino, reading his
The one we all dream immortal
poem “Antarctic twilight” With its flora, its fauna, its winds
Millenary ice of colossal alive pearl
That sea pulled apart from her
To the light ocean and austral sky
Antarctic Twilight We know her from childhood; we love her as

Alberto Merino we love a girlfriend
(Translated by Silvana Benitez) With supreme outburst, with tenderness, with
devotion
Close to this beautiful twilight
Bless you Antarctica of my life She lives beating in ancestral lands
Because you never gave me unfair days She dazzles with her whiteness when we peer
Or an undeserved sorrow her
Wrapping her tender soul around you
Because at the end of this swift way I realized Like a mother coats her children with love.
I been my own destiny architect
If I extracted honey or gall from things Everything goes by, tragic sinister wind
Was because tasty honey or gall I putted on them Show us that we love what is ours
When I planted roses Like a nobleman father, sweet mother, warm
I reaped always more than roses home
We are orphans, painful erratic pilgrim
Always be recorded images on the retina Going through a pathway but Royal track.
Some time had elapsed since we arrived Searching for a soul mate to love.
For the rest of our lives stamped our hearts
And tears I assure you… when we leave. I found it and is here,
Showing it heart majestically
This glowing adventure to me
Led me write verses, of love.
30
Mr. Chen Wen (China) is the Senior Cook of the Great Wall Station and also a very sensitive person.
In the occasion, he composed a poem about one of symbols of the life triumph in Antarctica, the
lichens which survives under the snow without no bees and no gardeners in the silent but stronger
and stronger.
Lichen
Chen Wen
I’m ancient lichen,

Grows on the bare rock in Antarctic,
Don’t go in for the romantic of spring,
Don’t live for harvest in autumn,
Butterfly and bee doesn’t favor me,
Brilliance is inferior to the peony,
Indulge to blow by fierce wind,
Indulge to bury by heavy snow,
Multiply silently,
Upgrow doggedly,.
I’m original lichen,

Although I’m dwarfish,
I also wish to be tall as pinaster,
Although I grow slowly,
I’m keen to strive for honor with peony, Mr. Chen Wen reading his poem
“Lichen”
I live in which other plants don’t want to be,
And I have made plenty of sacrifice,
Bring hope of survival to the latter,
After suffer a bitterly cold ,
Let me to become stronger and stronger.
31
Mr. Wilder Acosta (Uruguay) is a Scuba Diver from the Artigas Station. He is a nice person, always
smiling and ready to cooperate with his friends.
For this event he discovered himself as a poet and he made a composition referred to the impact of
the white on the researcher eyes.
White Eyes
Wilder Acosta
I never knew
I was in the shadows The feeling of oppression
until I saw it light vanishes with any meeting
and blinded me. with laughter and tears
with the drink and the hug.
The whitest of white
gets lost in the horizon Specks mixed
mixed with gray and blue all equal, no language
almost nonexistent
Total darkness at its presence.
is not so
it is just a dream. To the beat of their winds
collective dream jig flakes
fed by hope. with combined form
The return of light. and feelings
the images every day

beg to be discovered.
Our eyes blinded by whiteness.
Whispers all the time

silent silence.
It cries break the landscape
broad and beautiful
and make to shiver
till the most courageous and daring
the price for many

Has been very expensive
and for other
many the benefits
Seeing it blinded me
Blind of white.
blind of love
Mr. Wilder Acosta reading his poem
“White eyes”
32
Mr. Freddy Zúñiga Maldonado (Chile) is a member of the Chilean Air Force crew, specialized in
maintenance and gastronomy.
Is a nice person, very appreciate by his fellows and according their description, a key man on the
normal operation of his base.
He likes to read but never wrote before. Anyway he got involved with the spirit of poetry today and
he composed a poem about Antarctica, considering it as a value to be protected by everybody without
distinction of nationalities.
Antarctica
Freddy Zúñiga Maldonado
Antarctica, virgin and ours

You that in your rocks and glaciers
Hide your secret history
In your cold and desolated lands

have left their marks the voyagers
And you asking nothing
Showed them your snowdrifts
In your cold nights and sunsets

Irrupts the wind and the snow
Making a blizzard
That blind any view
Under your white blanket Mr. Freddy Zúñiga Maldonado reading

You protect men and women his poem “Antarctica”
that are giving for you
The care you want
As good friends
From here, me and my loved Chile
We will care you
As for a forbidden treasure
33
Captain Horacio San Martín (Chile) is the Commander of the Chilean Navy component in the Fildes
Harbor Port.
He likes exploring the nature and he is also an artist who plays guitar and composes songs.
Trying to express his feelings and to show the landscapes of Antarctica through poetry composed his
poem “Adventure”
Adventure
Horacio San Martin Reese
Adventurous family that on the waves of the drake

He leaves the home for the cold Antarctic climates,
Compiling images of the land hostile
Inspiring source of peace and romantic moments.
Seamen's adventurous confraternity

Sacrifice and effort, protectors of ocean and of life,
Living through an adventure without the presence of
the random
The admiration of theirs for this life's delivery.
Adventurous crew with dreams of tales

They take in your breast the emblem of the work
and of the recollections
They rise with your spirit up to the slowest
Captain Horacio San Martin Reese With your optimism and more than your breath.
reading his poem “Adventure”
Adventurous brotherhood of different peoples

(villages)
That leaves behind a home with many laments
Living attached through the fellowship of the winds
And your faces cracked for the torments.
Adventurers all in winter whiteness

With the expressed feelings it begins the adventure.
34
Col. Waldemar Fontes (Uruguay) is the Chief of Artigas Station. He is completing the third
overwintering campaign in charge of the station in different seasons and always he looked for the
ways to express the love for Antarctica through different manifestations of art.
He is a painter and writes for children.
He has been the coordinator of this event and he composed a poem to be read in the occasion,
referred to the feeling of solitude that only antarcticans could understand.
Loneliness in the Snows

Waldemar Fontes
Loneliness
Unwanted but longed
Who gives and takes,
Wounding,
Denying being at your side
Cold nights, warm memories

who come and leave
Suffering and dreaming

feeling, alone
longing and pleasure,
Col. Waldemar Fontes, reading his
poem “Loneliness in the snows”
The cold agony
From the howling wind
Remembering the nights
with snow and without sun
Where your absence

Becomes in presence
in the icy breezes
in the cold hands
in the white icebergs...
where my love embarks
35
Mr. Jury Gavrilov (Russia) he is the Elder antarctican in the King George Island today, having
passed eleven overwintering periods in the South Polar Regions.
He works as a mechanic in the Bellingshausen Station, in charge of the Power Plant, as member of
the 54th Russian Antarctic expedition
He is a person full of strength and optimism, father of a family in the farms district of Saint
Petersburg.
Wait me
Jury Gavrilov
(Translated and edited by Alexander Kutsuruba)
Among the snows, at the ends of blizzard

And under stars of Southern Cross,
Your love as magic talisman
Each wintering protected us.
I know - infinitely hard,

But don`t be tired in waiting me!
Your heart assure you will manage-
On high importance of your love!
My fortune! We are so far,

if to embrace you and to plunge
into dark lakes of lovely eyes
and gently-gently lips your touch,
Mr. Juri Gavrilov reading his poem:
“Wait me”
and all to feel as in first rise …
For those who wait,

Has learned to wait
Who counts the days
With hope, with awe!
For those who go, who in his way

Forgetting vanity of days,
Avoiding bars, direct to "South"
Goes forward and without tiredness!
36
Mr Pei Fuyu (China) is the Chief of the Great Wall Station. He is also a Medical Doctor in the Navy. He
passed eight campaigns in Antarctica and two in the Arctic and very long time engaged in the ocean and
polar fields, familiar with the ocean and polar specialty.
Warmly to everyone, respect for the nature, passion for life is the description we can provide of his
personality.
He writes poetry from long time ago and usually he practices the 8 sentences rhythm, in liberal poems and
the “Song dynasty” poem style.
Concluding the First Poetry Reading Day, Mr Pei Fuyu read his poem “Soaring of friendship and courage”
Soaring of friendship and

courage
Pei Fuyu
In Antarctic
I compliment the friendship and the courage
Because
Courage is the hopefuls
Friendship is the strengths
For the same dream

Protect our human being's earth
Mr Pei Fuyu reading his poem “Soaring of
For the same song friendship and courage”
Let the world more beautiful
Although far from each other

Let us walk to together
Although difficult
Make us become sanctity We are hand in hand cooperation in the cape
and ultimate of the world
We worried nothing
At the risk of sacrificing Beyond the concept of region
We have the passion Forget racial we are belonging
Following the trail of the Antarctic pioneer. Different language but in the same sound
Different skin color but have the same dream
Never worried the difficulty
We are shoulder to shoulder fight at the vast of Cross-over the natural moat
ice field Challenge the survive limit
Never worried the severe and harsh weather Deep into the devil ice sheet
Explore the mysterious of Antarctic
Make up a friendship bridge

Write a poem on courage
Let us spray people's simple and goodness to
the fullest
Together towards the bright future.
37
CLOSING
38
CLOSING
The Chiefs. - from left to right: Mr Alexander Kutsuruba (Russia), Col Waldemar Fontes (Uruguay), Cap. Horacio
San Martin (Chile), Cdr. Carlos Madina (Chile) and Dr. Pei Fuyu (China)
At the end of the First Poetry Reading Day, it was an appreciation for all the
participants and supporters on their valuable contributions.
39
EXHORTATION
According the consensus agreement between the chiefs of the Stations in the
Fildes Peninsula at King George Island, a letter of exhortation was signed, for the
future generations to continue organizing this kind of cultural events.
Following is the text of the signed letter:
On the 16th October 2009 it was organized the First Poetry Reading Day in Antarctica, with
the participation of delegations from the neighbor stations of the Fildes Peninsula.
CONSIDERING:
The success of the event, the promotion of the aesthetical values of Antarctica and the
possibility to understand each other through the poetry independently from the language
spoken.
That this kind of events contributes to show the best values of the human being.
That this event is related to the expressed in the Resolution 2 “Aesthetic values of
Antarctica”, adopted in the ATCM XX, Utrecht 1996.
EXHORTATION
The chiefs of the participant delegations, agreed to exhort the future contingents of Antarctic
Expeditions, to promote this event, challenging them to organize new editions of this “Poetry
Reading Day”, every year.
The chiefs signing the exhortation
40
Scanned copy of the letter of exhortation signed by all the chiefs participants in the Poetry Reading Day
41
CREDITS
Organizational Committee
Col. Waldemar Fontes, Chief of the Artigas Station (Uruguay) – general coordination
Mr. Alexander Kutsuruba, chief of the Bellingshausen Station (Russia) - Host
Dr. Pei Fuyu, Chief of the Great Wall Station (China)
Cdr. Carlos Madina, Commander of the Frei Base (Chile)
Captain Horacio San Martin chief of the Navy Detachment Fildes (Chile)
Dr Wu Songdi, medical doctor from the Great Wall Station (China)
Mr Lee Chunlei Comms Offr from the Great Wall Station (China)
Dra Silvana Benitez, medical doctor from the Artigas Station (Uruguay)
Dr. Gonzalo Suarez, medical doctor from the Frei Base (Chile)
Prof Luis Gomez, Director of the School F50, Villa Las Estrellas (Chile)
Miss Olga Stephanova, from the Bellingshausen Station (Russia) - filmmaking
Mr. Slava Nebotov from the Bellingshausen Station (Russia)
Poets who read their own compositions
Pei Fuyu,(China): “Soaring of friendship and courage”

Jury Gavrilov,(Russia): “Wait me”
Waldemar Fontes,(Uruguay): “Loneliness in the snows”
Horacio San Martin,(Chile) “Adventure”
Freddy Zuñiga, (Chile): “Antarctica”
Wilder Acosta (Uruguay): “White eyes”
Chen Wen (China): “Lichen”
Alberto Merino (Chile): “Antarctic twilight”
Walter Monzón (Uruguay): “White conquest”
José Guerra (Chile): The white lady”
Lee Chunlei (Chile): “Antarctic love”
Carlos Odera, (Uruguay): “Antarctica my friend”
Kwang-Joo Ko, (Korea): “Honeymoon in the Antarctica”
Young Keun Jin (Korea): “Question?” and “Ozone layer”
42
Readers
Dr. Gonzalo Suarez, (Chile): “Antarctica a dream” a poem by Carlos Castillo Toledo
Dra Silvana Benitez (Uruguay) “The force infinity” a poem by Johann Jamneck
Tian Zidong (China), “Invitation to wine” a poem by Li Bai.
Bernardo de los Santos, (Uruguay), “Antarctica”, a poem by Silvia Peruggia.
Olga Stephanova, (Russia), “Katabatic winds”, a poem by Petr Loginov.
Silvana Ferrero, (Uruguay), “Antarctic Verses”, stanzas of the poems of Delia
Musso.
Wu Songdi (China), “When will the moon be clear and bright”, a poem by Su Shi.
The children who composed and read their own compositions
Carlos Madina Sandoval, (Chile): “The beautiful Antarctic nature”

Camila Madina Sandoval, (Chile): “The penguins”
Isidora Contreras Soto, (Chile): “Daniela and Mariana”
Special thanks to the poets of which some verses were read in the event
Johann Jamneck (South Africa)

Mrs Delia Musso (Uruguay)
Dra Silvia Peruggia (Uruguay)
Carlos Castillo Toledo (Chile)
Li Bai (China)
Su Shi (China)
Petr Logvinov (Russia)
Vladimir Vysotski (Russia)
43
Translators collaborating in the edition of this poemary
Waldemar Fontes (Uruguay)

Silvana Benitez (Uruguay)
Li Chunlei (China)
Wu Songdi (China)
Horacio San Martin (Chile)
Alexander Kutsuruba (Russia)
Olga Stephanova (Russia)
Slava Nebotov (Russia)
Young Keun Jin (Korea)
Final Notice
Nobody of the participants in the event was a native English speaker.

Despite that everybody made a big effort to provide abstracts or simple translations
on the poems read and on the biographical information of the poets and participants
We are sorry for grammar mistakes surely you are going to find in this poemary, but
just take in mind that it was wrote in “Antarct-English” a language of nobody, but
understandable by many.
Waldemar Fontes
The coordinator
wfontes@montevideo.com.uy
See more information in: www.antarkos.org.uy/coposdenieve
This poemary was composed by Waldemar Fontes

King George Island – South Shetland
October 2009
Made in Antarctica
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
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Poemary: First Poetry Reading Day - Antarctica, King George Island - October, 16th 2009

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Poemary: First Poetry Reading Day - Antarctica, King George Island - October, 16th 2009

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Poetry inspired in Antarctica

First Poetry Reading Day

Recognizing that the unique character of Antarctica itself represents an

Because poetry joined us

Participated delegations from:

Chile, China, Russia, Korea and Uruguay

October 16th 2009

Graphic design: W. Fontes

First Poetry Reading Day in Antarctica

Dear friends! Today we want to start

warm, sunny spring and then, summer.

As the years and centuries and epochs go by

Introduction Fame and grandeur to them is not wanted

For what could we not live, what could we not dream?

Total quiet - just seagulls like lightning

Our throats will let go of silence

North, will, hope, a land without border

Those who did not believe in dark prophecies

“White silence” from Vladimir Vysotski

Opening of the Poetry Reading Day

Antarctica is a muse that inspires the best feelings.

An example of these aesthetic values, was the song

The Children and his teacher

The Beautiful Antarctic Nature

Look at the penguins

As the sea lion swim

Carlos Madina Sandoval,

As the skua sings

But if don´t sorry

As allegates the tern

If I cannot come back

As the wind blowing

The penguins are my friends

It´s funny to see them

Even if they bumble

The penguin is the best bird

Daniela and Mariana

Once upon a time it was a seal called Daniela.

She was living alone in Antarctica.

The animals were gone and only were around

It had arrived another seal, named Mariana.

They were a tiny bit naughty and they enjoyed

Daniela said to be with Mariana, was more

One day, the children of the F-50 School made a

When the children returned to the School, Daniela

OTHER AUTHORS READING

OTHER AUTHORS READING

Special thanks to the poetry of:

• Johann Jamneck (South Africa)

When will the moon

How rare the moon, so round and clear!

I want to fly home, riding the air,

She rounds the vermilion tower,

But rare is perfect happiness,

On the shore layed

Burnished algal gardens

To bring yourself to harmony,

For what is it needed,

This wind will iron out all the folds,

And all the habits will buried

And sleepless wind will page

And, having learnt

Your purity, invaded by me

And never leave your wine cup empty in moonlight!

Dear friends of mine,

What difference will rare and costly dishes make?

The Prince of Poets feasted in his palace at will,