The night at Alibaba
by Red Constantino

If you were there, you will not forget the night of July 16. It was the night friends possessed of fine minds and stout hearts broke bread and forged ties that, it is hoped, would outlast any concrete structure designed to hold back the mightiest river. I had the honor of giving the first toast, and after two days of intense debate and dialogue during the Water Forum in Astana, Kazakhstan, I had only one poem in mind to share, a prayer, actually, from good buddy Anabanana. I had it translated to pinyin Russian, and I read it in Russian. And afterwards, it was time for horse meat, salad, vodka and endless laughter.

We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity...

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

attributed to Sir Francis Drake, 1577