Karma Bank to Following By Listening

This collection of song lyrics encompasses: a Collection From the Karma Bank, Still Wide Awake in the Now, Capturing the Glow, Beginning to Imagine Better, and Following by Listening. They are tales, tides and twinkling lights - tunes telling stories of warmth and sun, city and sand, paths that lead, and the coins we can keep in the Karma Bank. Spirit’s been bypassed for sorrow, dreaming of a better tomorrow … They are also evocative songs about living in this time, seeking serenity, and appreciating what we have. They are additionally about going after beauty so that it’s a part of our space.

You can access recordings of Chiemi’s songs online.

With the pandemic, we have experienced world trauma in an unprecedented way. One hopes that we’ve learned something. As we re-emerge after months of lockdown, can we begin to imagine better? Not just for ourselves but the future of everyone? Do we see differently?

And finally, at the crux of creativity, these words are ultimately about following by listening, trying not to get in the way, and reflecting things back because they are bigger than you, just (hopefully) adding your own insight so that they can go back out into the world.

All proceeds of this publication have been directed to the Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) in Boston, which, builds homes, empowers families and strengthens communities.