Chinese Bride - NaPo # 29

Chinese bride, eyes cast down,
face powdered white,
lips the colour of her gown,
a crimson brocade
of gold and silver thread.

She holds a tiny cup
with nervous hands
and offers red dates tea
to the matriarch seated,
in front of a “double happiness”
embroidered on satin drape
of dragon-phoenix design.

Tea accepted; and the bride receives
a red packet of lucky money
and a family heirloom,
a symbol of her status.
And now she must shoulder
the tradition, to bear
a son to carry on the family name.

She bites her lower lip
as her fingers reach out to feel
the jade bracelet
now heavy on her wrist.
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(originally written in 2002)
NaPoWriMo - 29 April 2006

Heritage (Angsana Tree) NaPo # 29

Heritage (retitled)

Angsana tree by the river bank
blooms a yellow-orche crown
that perfumes the air
and rains a golden carpet the next day.

(revised)
-----------------------------------------

Angsana Tree (original title)

Angsana tree by the river bank
blooms a yellow-orche crown
that perfumes the air
and rains a golden carpet the next day.
And reminds us of our heritage.

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NaPoWriMo - 29 April 2006

First Month Celebration - NaPo #28

Ginger and pork knuckles in black vinegar simmers,
and chicken in rice wine slowly bubbles on the stove.

Great Grandma gently dips unshelled hard-boiled eggs
into red dye, then take them out again to dry
on a plastic tray. Auntie Koh packs two red eggs,
two foil-cup glutinous rice and two ang-ku kuehs
into each red cardboard box for guests
to take home when they leave.
Red will bring happiness and luck to everyone.

Young Grandma scoops omelette fried with ginger strips
in sesame seed oil from the wok and fluffs
white rice into food warmer to be placed
with bowls and chopsticks on the dining tables.

Kei Li’s stomach growls at the delightful aroma
as she rests on a lazy chair with baby sleeping in her arms.
Baby stirs as the door bell rings and he opens his little eyes
to welcome the first guest to his first month celebration.
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NaPoWriMo - 28 April 2006

Questions - NaPo #27

Do shadows talk and laugh like us
when we are not looking?
Do they melt into the darkness when there’s no light?
Do birds scorn us for invasion
with our metal planes?
Would they think we’re aliens from giant lands?
Do fishes wish they could walk on earth
the way we could swim with them?
Or are they planning revenge with an emerterrain?
Are thunder roars grudges of injustice
for all the lost seconds?
Do they plan to scheme with lightning to strike in sync?
Is earth’s rotation on its axis
a pact for day and night to have equal rights?
Does earth plan to retire
and treaty ends.

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NaPoWriMo - 27 April 2006
30 Sept 2006

3 a.m. - NaPo # 26

The night was morning at 3 am.
I roused fresh from dreams,
and the scatter cushion at my feet
that your ghostly hand tapped on me,
fell gently like a wake-up call.
And I didn’t need an ouija board
to sense your presence.
It has been a year and more
since you last spent a worldly
3 am with me. And you did not forget
your favourite cushion.

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NaPoWriMo - 26 April 2006

The Surgeon - NaPo # 25

You told me not to be afraid
and your fingers felt my pressure.
You asked me to breathe easy
and you covered my mouth
with a mask of soft membrane.
You sucked hard and teased the inside.
I sucked back, seeking oxygen
but was dizzy from sedation instead.
Your hands moved on my breasts,
searching for heartbeats.
Nipples taut to attention at the touch
And your tongue shot an injection of ecstasy.
And my voice, barely a whisper, offered you my heart.
Please slice the knife in easy so it won’t hurt.
You promised.

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April 25, 2006
Sept 30, 2006

NaPoWriMo - 24 April 2006 - Trees

Trees stand in rows
along the side of the road
like a welcoming parade.
They sway in rhythm
to the music of the wind
and wave their leafy arms at me.
I look up to acknowledge them
and they slowly nod their heads.
They lean towards each other
as if to whisper some secrets
and I can almost see
their faces smiling at me.

NaPoWriMo - 23 April 2006 - Admirer

Uneven stone slabs form a path
to where a family of koi with coat
of red and white sequin lives,
with a ceramic frog that sits
on top of a chest where water falls
from four mini drawers.
And big weathered stones line
the borders of their home.
Hyacinths creep across the water
to shade and sheath.
And hairy leaves of dark green hornwort
exhale oxygen for fish and food.
A kingfisher flashes by to watch
the koi twist and tease.
And as it admires this living art,
it judges the depth of the water.

NaPoWriMo - 22 April 2006 - Story of the Sand

Each grain of sand
has a story to tell
of how it landed where it did.
Maybe a big blue fish
swallowed it, to spit it out again
miles away from where it used to be.
And the turmoil of a tsunami
swung it to higher ground,
or gentle currents of the sea
brought it up to the beach.
And human scavengers
came along and dug up a fuss.
Then poor sand, unable to protest,
found itself in an hourglass.

NAPOWRIMO - 21 April 2006 - Modern Ku

Chrysanthemum falls
into turbulent water,
floats silently.