A gate, Beloved,
Before a flight through the stairs
Before the next gate—
—-
⛩
A Gate
Author: rike jokanan
Just me, now here
One Step At A Time
Never miss a step
Taken to reach the last point.
Just enjoy. And joy—
——
Enjoy today’s experimental bread. Not the best but truly an enjoyable process. Should have been only one potato
Fasting is always about hunger, thirst and on hold of many things. But it’s worth doing, its breaking is worth waiting.
May all beings be happy.
🐣
Biutyful
Life’s misunderstood
As blurred when eyes are cloudy.
Beauty is constant
Not to the eyes. To the heart
It’s a bunch of what’s biutyful.
——
Observing the observer—
Let them misunderstand whatever about your own self as a secret is a secret that will remain mystery to those sleeping or cloudy eyes. If bright eyes can be tricked with a sheet of A4, what will a block of wall do to those cloudy?
Life is biutyful.
Hari Kartini
Hari Kartini ki mesthi dadi dina paling dieling-eling marang bocah-bocah wedok jamanku ning Indonesia. Ngapa? Merga saben Hari Kartini bocah-bocah wedok jamanku paling ora pisan pindho nate bayakan (nganggo kebaya), jarikan, gelungan, sing wong tuwane nduwe ragat ya macak ning salon barang. Sing wong tuwane dhompete kandel ya anake ayu moblong-moblong. Sing sederhana ya wis biasa ae, ketok wedhakan, bengesan, jungkasan mening wis lumayan mbois.
Ning maknane Hari Kartini ki kok ora pati mancep lan nilas ning ati lan jiwane bocah-bocah ya? Nek diarani tokoh emansipasi wanita Indonesia, apa iya bocah-bocah sing jarikan macak nganti ayune uleng-ulengan ki paham maksude apa? Kok nganti saiki wong-wong wedok ijik akeh sing didiskriminasi kaya jamane Ibu Kartini.
Apa cukup carane memperingati Hari Kartini ki nyang sekolah utawa kantor nganggo klambi daerah mblenger ditutuli benges, sedow lan celak ben ketok medoki?
Sakjane ya kudune rada jeru ya masiya nek isane ngono ya wis ben ngono sik. Ning muga-muga ae bocah-bocah wedok Indonesia ora mandheg maknani Hari Kartini mung dadi tetenger wiyose Ibu Kartini, tapi luwih meneh maknani laire rasa setara, dudu kompetisi antarane lanang lan wedok, rasa melengkapi antarane lanang karo wedok ana ing urip iki, ora balapan, ora royokan.
Alhamdulillah wis enek Hari Kartini. Paling ora enek sing ngelingne lek wedok ki kudu piye lan isa piye. — wedok ki ora mung sumur, kasur, dapur tapi ya oleh tandur, tutur, ngatur barang. Wis piye?
Sugeng ambal warsa, RA Kartini.
Selamat Hari Kartini, para perempuan Indonesia. You’re well respected whoever, wherever, whenever you are, no matter what. 🙏🏼
Perfect
Perfect, Beloved
Indication of moments,
Not about others—
——-
I thought there was perfection but then life showed me that the only thing truly modified by the word perfect is time or in some situation called moment. Other than those two creatures are never essentially perfect, they are perfect through some agreed points of view.
When it is over, it is perfectly done – time is up. When it is cut, it is perfectly completed – time is up.
And I accept a “time is up” sincerely or forcefully. A let go. A move on. A celebration. A moment to remember. A memory to save.
Oh life…. A set of perfect moments you are!
Thank you!
Singapore – Apr. 19, 2022 / 21:03
Life As I Like It
Good life, Beloved
Surrounded by them most loved
In green serene air—
—-
I like to tell some colleagues that I’ll be the host for our reunion dinner in my home 15 years from now. It must be a good time to talk about how we’re doing what we’re doing.
Though not soon, ‘m looking forward to a long life to make it happen.
See you in a green serene garden, fellas! 🥳
Temasek – Apr. 19, 2022 / 19:33
A Space Called Waiting
It’s silence
Filling the air,
Expanding time that kills
With infinity and mystery.
This strand has threaded millions of pearls of breathing taken one by one.
This is also a ribbon that goes miles and miles scripted with memories loaded with emotions.
There is one last pearl and there is a period. Only time knows at which point—
Only flowers can fill the gap while waiting.
They are food and garnish at the same time,
Bride and groom,
Prayer and curse,
Bright and pale,
Symbolised and clarity,
Birth and death,
Duality in one bouquet.
This lounge feels alive
With the flower arrangement sitting at the corner,
Silently
Accompanying everyone
Waiting to depart.
————
Life is forever, crossing one bridge to another. Alfatihah.
Temasek – Apr. 18, 2022 / 20:14
One Way To Forget
Away from real life
In real life: watching movie—
One perfect weekend!
——
Good movie is not always that with good cinematography quality, to me good movie is one released and on when there are many to run away from for some time in real life. Sitting in a huge space among those we don’t know feels like a freedom with responsible limit: we enjoy ourselves and try our best not to disturb others who are enjoying the same thing with us in different way — some people scream watching some scenes, I simply close eyes and block ears; some giggle, I laugh loudly; others eat and drink, I enjoy Fisherman’s Friend, and so on, and so forth.
Life is full of blessings if we can see it from the right point of view.
Salaam.
Temasek – Apr. 17, 2022 / 21:15
Little Bird
Hi, little bird. Befriend with your wings which look weak but bring you freedom. Befriend with your feet which look twiggy but hold you balanced. Befriend with your feathers which look light but give you warmth. Befriend with your eyes which look dark but show you pixels others can’t enjoy. Befriend with your tiny beak to sing only happy songs because sad songs are only for you when you’re with a trusted circle — hush! Untrusted flock will spill your sad stories everywhere to make themselves happy and feel important, and that will make you even sadder. Sing, perch, fly and enjoy your life responsibly freely.
Look, little bird. The sun shines brightly giving hopes to the heliotropic, while the air is yours through its pressurising differently every moment you move. Enjoy every second that you can capture, no matter what. Sing!
“I’m little bird, oh little bird in a short pretty life. I’m little bird, oh little bird in a realm of colours. I’m little bird, oh little bird, oh me.” 🪶
Have a wonderful weekend!
Salaam.
Singapore – Apr. 16, 2022 / 21:47
Missing Home
I feel home here now.
Yet I miss home somewhere there
Where friendship is near.
——
Can’t wait to be home for a short while…. 💝
Strokes of Colours
Woven coloured threads
Build a spread of table cloth,
Freshening guests’ eyes.
——-
While white is the most beautiful colour, bright colours are good choices to brighten most days!
Welcome, tired eyes to a realm of colours.
Salaam.
Singapore – Apr. 14, 2022 / 21:00
Quietness
It’s dark, Beloved,
I’m afraid. Where should I go?
Walk through the shushed wind.
————
One wise teacher said,”Your path might be dark and you can’t see anything but don’t worry, my child as the hearing works without the light.
Listen. Listen carefully”.
Singapore – Apr. 13, 2022 / 21:22
The Evil Giant Is Soon To Fall
When the evil giant is in danger,
What will he do?
I see the giant beats the air like a storm.
The giant kicks the trees blindly.
The giant screams on the top pitch with anger.
The giant pushes down all fences around him and stomps on everything and everyone on his way.
The giant rages wildly forgetting the land isn’t only flat plateau.
Hidden canyons can put things to an end.
Hey, evil giant!
Why don’t you open your eyes?
No one steals your food. It’s you having stolen their food and now they’re taking it back from you!
And open your eyes!
A deep dark canyon full with poisonous snakes, sharp dagger-like thorns and hungry fire ants is far more dangerous than the bear, tiger or T-Rex. With those creepy crawly you simply don’t see them coming.
Hey, evil giant!
You’ve created too many broken hearts and broken hopes.
You’ve torn apart many other creatures’ pride and property.
If you don’t stop,
See what’s coming.
The evil giant doesn’t listen.
There’s something about his pride nobody can understand.
There’s something about his greed nobody can accept.
He still walks in rage, this time with hidden fear and shame.
He knows he’s going to fall but he denies any fact to it.
I know he’s going to fall.
Soon.
Very very soon.
———
God rescue and protect the weak, the ill-treated, the oppressed from the oppressors.
War? Yes it is also about war; but not only that. It is about those who are the victim of any kind of oppression, harassment, abuse, discrimination.
Alfatihah ❣️
Singapore – Apr. 13, 2022 / 20:00
History of A Tree
You have to believe
Nature lives with you, ruling
Games in which you are.
See colours. Watch shapes. Seasons,
Patterns count the scores to make.
Fruits rot. Flowers sere.
Leaves fall. Trunks topple. Roots die.
This plant is a name
In encyclopaedia,
Memory of its climbers.
——-
This body has expiry date. I’m seeing it deteriorates in time. What will be something of me left behind?
Temasek, Ramadhan 11 / 5:55am
Short History
A tree was a seed
Nurtured through time. Some is missed,
Killed before sprouting.
——————
I had some conversation about friendship with a friend. She said she just experienced an underestimation. I said to her that it is not a new thing, people like us should befriend with it; that underestimation will never negatively affect her if she does two things, one of which is staying calm.
In many cases underestimation is like manure thrown on to soil, looking and smelling bad but triggering growth of natural fertilisers. What happens next is predictable: what won’t grow beautifully? Just know that with the growth of flowery plants, annoying weeds will also be around.
Don’t let others’ negative actions ruin your good characters, my friend. I’m here silently always a friend.
Then at the end of the convo she asked me “Why you never reply my comments in Instagram?” Bloody hell! 🥸
Picture from: https://gardenersyards.com
Palate The Great Influencer
I want to not eat
But get full. My palate says
“Go talk to the wall”.
—————————————————
My palate is greedy yet very loving and worth loving. It tells me to eat more tasty food although I’m not hungry. In Ramadhan it whispers to me, coaxing me to “collect good-looking food” on the day to reward my good deed through breakfast (ifthar). Damn good influencer!
Dear, Ms Palate. At least please support my weight loss program. 😚
Prayer For The Weak
Those of men, women and children who are weak, ill-treated and oppressed be rescued and protected from the oppressors. Amen.
—————
I see many curse one specific invasion, raise the flag and upload country symbol to take side of the one whom they consider the weak; however, they ignore the bigger part of those invaded by another giant who has invaded way more places for so many years.
I don’t blame them cursing and taking side, understanding that for some people life is about losing, winning and guarding pride. Just that that type of people should be —excuse me— considered intelligent-but-ignorant. Intelligence is the highest pride of that type of people, yet they miss the point that —excuse me— ignorance is the root of all evil.
Once I heard one of my teacher talked about “history of fart’ in which this old wise man talked about a person farting and blamed and cursed and laughed at without everyone’s thinking over what chains of events have preceded the fart: what the person eats, why one eats it, when one eats it, who gives that food to one, and so on and so forth….
But yeah, who wants to think about fart? Almost no one! Maybe only that particular teacher did then he reminded all of his students to be careful not to judge from what’s readily accessibly sensible only. There is history to be considered. In fact, history is very complex that many people claiming to be historians have missed the true points. Why? Because they are attached to history written one-sidedly, while missing other sides which are almost always forgotten or the least accessible, buried with the death of the weak and the holders of the next generation.
Alfatihah for the weak everywhere you are. 🦋
ワンワンワンワン
What I’ve learnt from Japanese classes? Well, at least I have vocabulary of what sounds animals make.
- Dog: わんわん (wan wan)
- Cat: にゃんにゃん (nyan nyan)
- Duck: がーがー（gaa gaa)
- Cow: もうもう (mou mou)
- Frog: けろけろ（kero kero) [also, for a larger, deeper frog’s voice: げろげお, gero gero)
- Bunny: ぴょんぴょん (pyon pyon) [the sound of jumping]
- Bird: ピピー (pipii)
- Horse: ヒヒーン (hihiin) [neighing sound]
- Rooster: コッケコッコー (kokkekokkou)
- Pig: ぶーぶー(buu buu)
- Sheep: めえめえ (mee mee)
- Bee: ぶんぶん (bun bun) [sound of bees flying around]
Let’s sing with Nono Chan 🥰
Drunk Without Drinking
Intoxicated
Without drink, just dream of you.
Sensing from afar—
From a distance it is you.
The true you? A perceived you?
—————————————————————-
I learn about fasting gradually, starting from child’s fasting to earn presents then knowing it as shoum then as shiyam. All refer to the same activity but have different level of loaded meanings. In Arabic when word is added with one letter, the type of word changes, the voice changes and the depth or load of meaning also changes. The word صوم (shoum) has three letters, while صيام (shiyam) consists of four letters. Therefore, the word shiyam has a deeper meaning than the word shoum. There are even some circles that distinguish the meaning of the two words.
The word shiyam means to refrain from things that cancel (eating, drinking, sexual intercourse) performed with good intention, while the word shoum means leaving things that cancel fasting or not talking. In the Quran the word shoum can be found when Maryam the mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus) intended to stop eating and talking after the birth of him. While shiyam can be found as an instruction to do fasting in Ramadhan month.
I wish my fasting flies to the place where even Angel Gabriel (Jibril) can’t go in then my fasting goes back bringing me better understanding of how a human being should serve the living.
May all beings be happy.
❣️
Mood Booster
When not in the mood,
Cook the special instant food.
Incredibly good!
——————————————————
rike jokanan 
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