Category: Poetry and Prose

12 years

That day
Sydney was hit by the hail storm
the establishment was quiet
the sheets were white and clean
the candles were burning as usual
sending out choking artificial fragrance
the room
was claustrophobic as usual
she pulled out the Target catalog
looking through the baby supplies

who would think
she fell pregnant on the job
and
she hid it well
to keep working
to keep saving
towards her freedom

she really enjoyed the peace and respite
but
good time didn’t last
the warm liquid gushing between her legs
the red ink spreading on the snow white sheets

Mama Mama! She called out for help
the scrawny faced woman rushed in
then
rushed her to the hospital
she had blood on her hands
just didn’t want to have more blood
soaked into her soul

The birth of her baby boy
marked the return of her freedom
12 years
she suffered in silence
without identity
without freedom
without hope

She named him Isaac
for her heart was filled with laughter
being delivered from her captivity

Who endures more

the cold and lonesome train track
lies in wait for her lovers
only to pass by
no tears no aches
for a steel and iron heart
just allowing them
to trample all over her
gone and returned
again and again
the wear and tear on them
always
the train wrecks
the track lies in wait
as always
without a heartbeat

The river springs to the east

How I wish
love is like catching the subway
There is always a next one when you miss this one
The in between time is perfect for adjusting the mood
without overthinking who is to be blamed
But we all know too well
lost love is like a river springs to the east
we can never quite stop the flow of sorrow
until it floods our sleepless nights

 

如果感情象乘地铁那样多好
错过了一趟可以赶乘下一趟
之间可以收拾情绪做好准备
不用守株待兔那样傻傻地等
可惜感情却如一江东流春水
愁绪滔滔不绝浸湿无眠之夜

Numbness

The Living Poetry Prompt

 

I’ve done my neck in
too much jigsaw puzzling it seems
The agony doesn’t stop me
you know
the holiday commitments
the cook, the chauffeur, the cleaning lady

Mild pain killers
barely scratches the surface
of an acute nerve pain
I am on edge with a contorted face
matching the crooked spine

The kids have been splashing in the pool
for hours
Guests start waking up
from the lunch coma
The late afternoon sun
mellows to a warm glow

It seems to be fitting
to play cafe del mar
while
I am making caipiroska cocktails
tasting is a must
for an amateur bartender
It takes at least three
to make the fourth one perfect

Everybody loves their drink
is it their smile
or the festival spirit
I am floating
without pain

I finally can see my life again
playing in slow motion
My heart rate slows down
My neck is no longer stiff
The music is fading into the household noise
The guests are happy I guess
their faces are blooming
Me?
I am ok I guess
in such pain free numbness
How else can it be?

Go figure

Photo taken by Cassa Bassa at Narrabeen beach, Sydney Northern beaches, Australia

Cobra

Tonight the moonlight is fatal
your ivory teeth run along my spine
causing ripples to my cool belly
I crawl up along the ivy vine
drink from the marble fountain
your sweet whispering words
are the antidote to my venom

A Cold Christmas Day Down Under

Christmas, to me
is our big brother’s birthday
never about plastic trees
bling bling lights
or boxed presents
until this Christmas
in a land far away
you and you and you
are my love ones
I cannot smell the Christmas ham you cook
you cannot hear the carols I play

It saddens me
not to see the excitement of opening presents
not to see the Christmas tree twinkles
not to have a family meal with over sized
of everything being served
without you and you and you
I feel a little cold even
in the southern hemisphere
on Christmas Day

Early Morning On Boxing Day Down Under

The Living Poetry Prompt

5:30am
the Laughing Kookaburra sings
like
the loud mouth aunt from afar
wearing floral prints dress
busier than the Christmas tree
taking over the karaoke
nobody in the house
hears anybody else

my breath
stale with vodka martini
olives and smoked meat scraps
in between my teeth
who would think
I am peckish again
standing in front of the fridge
in my short jammies
searching for
cold turkey and cranberry sauce

this will tide me over
to the 11 o’clock big brunch
served with
blue berry pancakes and beacon
poached eggs on sour dough
sauteed mushroom and tomatoes

for now
before the house is fully awake
best to enjoy a strong cuppa
and the short breeze
before the sun rises to
stink the fertilised backyard
and listen to
more drunken rellos’ banter

Sometimes fighting is the only way out

They all let her go in the end
out of courtesy
out of respect
out of uncertainty

What were they uncertain about
she wondered
about their ability
about her worth
or
about the love between them

The train of regret never stopped
or
moved backward towards where it all began
the sunshine
the sparks
the sublime beauty
before
all the disagreement
all the fights
all the uncertainty

They all thought there was no beauty in
all the flaws
all the cracks
all the heartache
so they gave up
on their self worth
along with hers

In the end
nothing was worth fighting for
they wallowed in nostalgia
while
she was soaked in self pity

Gotta go now

The senior couple handed me a Christmas card with jingle bells.

I said thank you in formality and turned towards the door as a hint for them to depart.

The husband said in a trembling voice ‘It’s for you and your family to enjoy some chocolates.’ and he grinned. The wife grinned too.

‘You don’t have to do that. I am just doing my job to provide services. I appreciate the gesture very much. Thank you again.’ I kept facing the door thinking I am running late for my next appointment.

They finally said good bye and snail waked to leave my office with big smiles hung on their sallow faces.

My day was finally over. I shut my pc and enjoying a cup of tea. The jingle bells are quite pretty, old fashioned and sweet. So I opened the card to read the Christmas wishes. A one hundred dollar note slipped out of the card. It all made sense then about their grins.

One hundred dollar is equivalent to one week of their rent, one full leg of premium smoke Christmas ham, two tanks of petrol of their little car, or a new pair of shoes to replace his long worn out ones.

My eyes welled up for their generosity, but more for my insensitivity in rushing them out of the door.