Magical Days

Today I saw magic
Warmly greeted my throbbing head.
โ€œHow deep is your love?โ€ Said she.
โ€œTo whom?โ€ Asked I.
โ€œDoes it matter?โ€ Said she.
And so I was magically charmed
By these heart beats
Chanting a repeated naive rhyme
About how nice Iโ€™ve been breathing.

โ€”โ€”

only those who know the death is just an inch away can do this wholeheartedly ๐Ÿ’

Everlasting Again

Iโ€™ll live not only 1000 lives,
Iโ€™ve lived forever.
I love not only my whole life,
I love everlastingly.

How can I not love the life
Giving me chance to meet you
Again
And
Again
And
Again?

I wonโ€™t though beg for another again
If again will end the love
To the now and here.

See you again
In now and here,
Better one
I know not where.

โ€”โ€”

the way you treat me will not change my feeling to you; yet will not shorten my distance from you either โ€” love is only for love, never for hatred ๐Ÿ’

Hurt?

No one can hurt me.
I am a feather,
I am water,
Either.

No one will hurt me.
I am a feather,
I am water,
Either.

We are feather on water.
No one can hurt them,
No one will,
Either.

โ€”โ€”

no one can, no one will โ€” if one does, one does to oneโ€™s self

Water In Me

Iโ€™m water 
Humble enough to mold myself
To this pitcher.
This lifeโ€™s a pitcher
Kind enough to tilt herself
To the river.

Iโ€™m water
Flowing by myself
In myself to the sea.
Thisโ€™s the strongest soft
With what this rocky heart
Gets shaped through time.

โ€”โ€”-

water: naturally willing to be shaped, spiced up, scented, coloured, treated by temperatures โ€” matured through stories ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

Woodpeckerโ€™s Messages

She has heard bird news,
Sending messages
Through Morse Code.
Dots, dashes, spacesโ€”

She has heard numbers, words, punctuations,
Telling stories
About no hope.
Acceptance, letting go, moving onโ€”

She has heard songs, poems, winds,
Springing in heart
Warmly and gently.
Future is brighter only with clarity.

She has heard a woodpecker
Reminding her of signals and signs
In every dance of nature
To be enjoyed and understood.

She has heard of you
Giving blocks and traps
To redirect her to her own path
To happiness.

She has heard of heaven
Approving whatever sheโ€™d do
As long as sheโ€™s happy and safe
Without disturbing life.

She has heard
Dews imbuing morning to refresh,
Twilight whispering night to rest.
Life is truly a woodpeckerโ€™s Morse Code.

She has heard
And she closes her eyes,
But not ears
As long as sheโ€™s happy and safe.

Thank you, Michael Lai for again allowing me to use your poetic pictures to illustrate a poem of mine that has been poking me since forever. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ

Bay Woodpecker Pecking a Hole in the Tree (4 Photos)

Love & Work

Iโ€™ll love
No matter what
Iโ€™ll be over anyways.
Iโ€™ll work
No matter what
Iโ€™ll be over anyways.
There is me
Or not,
It might be the same.
Yet as long as there is me,
Iโ€™ll do what I can
To add more
Meanings
And
Utility
To my life.
Iโ€™ll love
No matter what
In life.
Life is good,
I wonโ€™t skip
A thank
And
Or
Cheers.

โ€”

listen to love; it is everywhere ๐Ÿ’•

Cuts and Bruises

All cuts and bruises
Paint a life of a blossom
Before it decays.

โ€”

i was so young and innocent, a loved friend of many, a hated enemy of some โ€” i was so much blessed ๐Ÿ’

life has brought me travel through labyrinth of life with traps and turns that cut and torture yet i am still a loved friend of many, a hated enemy of some โ€” i am still so much blessed with cuts and bruises ๐Ÿ’ iโ€™ve lost much but i find myself

no one shall erase this happy girl within โ€” a blessed soul that travels through space and time ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ thank you

Harvested

Not only fruits,
It might be flowers, seeds and seedlings.
It might be leaves, woods or saps.
It might be barks, husks or roots.
It might be more.
Whatever beneficialโ€”

What is this tree harvested for?
Noneโ€”
No. Either
One:
Good deed or good time.

Harvest from life, Beloved.
Remember to sow before the next reap.


Her heart and soul is her best seeds,
And she is the farmer and the crop.

biggest lessons taken from this โ€” not so much relatable yet good lessons indeed

a bit of hilariously heroic – good to build good mood ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

enigmatic and dark

Perfect Imperfection

Is life abundant?
She asked.
They said,
When you have everything.
She walked away,
There was never everything
In imperfection.

She says.
Life is generous.
They say,
Because you have everything.
She walks away,
There is never perfection
In everything.

Life is abundant,
She agrees.
They ask,
Do you have everything? You are not perfect.
She walks away,
There is always perfection
In anything imperfect.

โ€”-

anger has long gone but sadness is still lingering like a hungry fox hunting a chicken ๐Ÿ™ƒ yet life is so generous to me offering sweet imperfection and simplest perfection that might be just a dream for those perfect perfection โ€” so thank you as always! ๐Ÿ’

giving myself time and space to live again ๐Ÿ’

Interaction

Where is sun when sets?
Where is moon in the day light?
They share love through time.

โ€”

Interaction is about reciprocity; even when we are alone, we are interacting with some tool of life or with the deep self within.

When it is not reciprocated, interaction is not genuinely true.

Salaam.

a grandma with her grandson

a mother with her son

family gathering

feeding two grandsons

letโ€™s climb!

hi, dove! said the little boy

whatโ€™s in the water? said he

bubbles!!!

what is that over there? ahh hope! โ˜บ๏ธ

am i your headache? no, you are my universe ๐Ÿ˜‚

donโ€™t move, just smile! someone is taking our picture โ˜บ๏ธ

she is asking her cam to see what she sees ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ

our daughter is playing, i am sitting near her

hey! clear up! i am gonna land!

electrocution my a**! ๐Ÿ˜

Choice

โ€”

Choiceโ€™s falling star
Brightened in a quiet dark night,
Orbited to earth.

respecting this family for their choice of happiness, knowing that i will never be able to do so

inspiring me to at least enjoy simpler life and to accept all blessings more happily

Bubble

A bubbleโ€™s bursting,
United with the free air.
Would you please join me?

โ€”

Although Kyoto has a lot of impressive shrines, my favourite is not there. Mine is Izumo Taisha in Shimane prefecture about 343 km from Kyoto.

When visiting other shrines in Japan, I was so aware of being in Japan. In Izumo Taisha I got home: sunny, green, serene and unexplainably blissful. There were many visitors but my senses didnโ€™t absorb their presence as if the hot air and bright light muffled their noise and wrapped me in a safe bubble bursting when my last step left the shrine front gate.

Romantic!

a long walk from the gate to the shrine โ€” i remember it was a scorching hot day in August 2018 and i was humming while walking ๐Ÿ˜‡

ablution, my daily ritual that i find also so soothing in Japan shrine especially in Izumo Taisha

torii ๐Ÿ’ a gate to the shrine yard

this is Izumo Taisha! ๐Ÿ’

shimenawa (sacred straw rope)

i only go to this coffee shop with my colleagues, but i wholeheartedly believed drinking Starbucks coffee was a nice thing; only in Izumo! right outside the shrine complex

Izumo Taisha, Shimane

Butterfly

Theyโ€™re flying
Around colours and shapes
In a garden
Where the gliding fragrance
And dripping nectars
Invite them
To celebrate
One phase
Before the next.

โ€”

in Subak, Ubud wearing new clothes from Sukawati market (only for SGD30) and butterflies in my tummy ๐Ÿ˜

Climated

Wind is welcomed
Some with jackets,
Some with shawls,
Some with sleeveless shirts,
Some naked like plants.
I am amazed by the fact
That they all survive.

Lend me socks and gloves,
I said to a snow bear.
It gave me thick fur
That was hung in a tree.
Wear my spare fur,
Just donโ€™t be me,
It said. I nodded.

โ€”

tulips among lucky bamboos, cordylines and bromeliad? โ€” all are pretty!

Dream Weekend

What is dream weekend?
Mine is
A walk in the green,
Smiles under the blue,
Jokes with warm sun,
Chats with cool breeze,
Glanced by rice herons,
Chased by crazy ducks,
Followed by spoiled dog,
Side by side with good friends,
Wrapped up with 5-cent luxury in banana leaf
And huge thanks to
Whomever-whomever.

โ€”

i rented a room in a Balinese banjar belonging to a family โ€” it is living as a Balinese in Central Ubud ๐Ÿ’ hey, Pongky! letโ€™s go to the rice field, buddy!
Mount Agung and Mount Batur from distance ๐Ÿ’
ducks are herded in rice field here – beautiful scenery ๐Ÿ’
how beautiful you are! ๐Ÿ’
a farmer burning the dried rice stalk to sterilize the land โ€” donโ€™t say what you donโ€™t know like carbon footprint, what he does is a natural process and nothing compared to what all the industries have done to Mother Earth
turn left
turn right
go straight
follow the flow within, dear self
hi, rice herons! i was blessed to see you ๐Ÿ’
my best friend said โ€œthatโ€™s your dream island in the middle of rice field!โ€ ๐Ÿ˜
she also said โ€œare you sure not moving to Ubud someday?โ€ i said โ€œi love the rice field of Ubud but when i retire i guess it is gone, so let me enjoy my tiny greenery in Yogyakarta, we can always give friendly visit to each otherโ€ ๐Ÿ’
water hyacinths
pisang kipas (Ravenala madagascariensis)
big brands building their hotels in the valley – greenery, please survive ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ or you might be gone when i retire
my breakfast was for 5 cent! ๐Ÿ’ nasi jinggo ubi (rice with some yellow sweet yam โ€” clean, tasty and cheap: thatโ€™s food in Bali and Jogja ๐Ÿ˜
also 5 cents! ๐Ÿ’ nasi jinggo kuning (turmeric yellow jinggo rice)

Bali, A Space In A Place

I donโ€™t need a place.
They can build a palace
To place me.
Iโ€™m not a queen,
Please gift it to someone more beautiful and loving luxury.

I deserve just a space.
It can be a table for two
To chat with me.
Iโ€™m a traveler,
Please go on a quest with me through joy and challenges to be.

Let me clean my place
For a little space.
Now and here
With or without
Youโ€”

โ€”-

i went melukat with one of my best friends in Pura Pacampuhan Sala on Saturday to welcome Seclusion Day and Ramadhan month โ€” it was such a blessing for both of us

About MELUKAT

Linguistically melukat is derived from the old Javanese word โ€œlukatโ€ which means to โ€œcleanseโ€ or โ€œpurifyโ€.

Melukat itself is understood as bathing or cleansing with water that aims to cleanse both body and mind, to refresh the spirit and dissolve away any negative influences. It is also believed to cure non medical diseases and sickness of the spirit and whether it does or not, a session bathing in holy waters will certainly make you feel good.

It is a symbol of letting go or releasing something burdening within us. It is a ritual that can be performed many times, in fact the more, the merrier as it can only lead to good things. It is also a kind of self purification that is very common by Indonesians of Hindu and Javanese Muslim in different ways as ritual.

Hindu in Bali will do it as frequent ritual, even for tourist attraction in some way.

Muslim have daily ablution (washing face/nostrils/earlobes/hands/feet) and mandatory bathing for women after menses or married couples after sexual intercourse. They also have another self purification affected by original Javanese tradition called โ€œAdus Suranโ€ or โ€œtaking a bath in Assyura/Suro monthโ€ in which they will do bathing in Javanese New Yearโ€™s Eve called โ€œ1st night of Suroโ€. Muslims are also suggested to do cleansing ritual (normal bathing with strong intension) before Ramadhan.

While in Bali why not I committed myself to self-purify? My best friend did it for Seclusion Day. I did for Ramadhan. Both of us did it for health, happiness and joy. ๐Ÿ’

Salaam.

walking along Sok Wayahโ€™s rice field the whole morning on Sunday
after a long walk, Pukakoโ€™s drink and sweet potato is the best choice ๐Ÿ˜Ž

Lessons Learnt (sharing)

Lessons? Things unknown,
Still unknown, maybe wonโ€™t be,
Solved with acceptanceโ€”

โ€”

Oftentimes people make the biggest mistake because they are young, because they are stupid or because they are not clear of what they aim at in life. At least that is what my core circle has agreed.

Many people reject to go for health check earlier only to find that they have really bad health problems too late to manage through life style changeโ€” too old or too weak and can only be managed through surgery and/or medication. This happens a lot around me. They would say โ€œI am ok. I am healthy. No symptoms. It is just light headache. It is just small numb. It is just light coughing. It will get better soon. Blahblahblah.โ€ And boom! Big troubles come (almost) late!

Do health check without waiting for intense symptoms. Donโ€™t underestimate a pinch as it can be a punch.

Many people think buying property can be done at later age. They prefer buying cars, branded stuff, etc for the sake of high prestige. They would say โ€œI want to enjoy my single life. I still can live with my parents. Why so hurry? My spouse will buy it for me later. Blahblablah.โ€ And boom! Property price soars high in just some years and those branded stuff investment canโ€™t cover the desired property.

Prioritise property (although at the same time some fancy stuff canโ€™t wait). Of course this is not applicable to the haves who can buy whatever they want.

Certain people overshare for the sake of feeling guilty and trying to explain excessively. I am one of themโ€” once tried to explain why and why just because I was afraid of being judged. And so I shared something that I promised to myself would keep it for VVIP circle of mine. And boom! The humiliation and disrespect that came back to me has made me feel like a biggest moron and worthless in the universe. It is taking time to accept the total stupidity about (blind) love.

Donโ€™t overthink. Donโ€™t overshare even with someone that you love the most if there is no clear foundation.

Aaaahhh!

Life is a school whose next classes can only be entered through a bunch of lessons learnt because of failures and wrong doings which look unforgivable but actually truly forgivable. ๐Ÿ˜˜

There is no right or wrong. What is there is only acceptance and lessons learnt.

Salaam.

โ€”-

make a beautiful string of beads from the lessons learnt; then life is counting wisdom ๐Ÿ’

Weekend Is Coming

Weekend is coming
Completing a full cycle
Between work and rest.

โ€”

when she canโ€™t find Friday late flight and is in Penang, what can she do but enjoying the slow time โ€” griiin!
itโ€™s weekend and workโ€™s done โ€” smiiile!
dinner ๐Ÿ™ƒ
complimentary โ€” arrgh!
itโ€™s the fruit challenge to report today
a friend called โ€œRike, letโ€™s go durian party! weโ€™ll pick you up at 7โ€ โ€” oh, Penangites! ๐Ÿ˜

Jewels

Between green and blue
There is this heart.
It adorns this white soul.
They adore each other.
One hums melodies to the other.
The other recites lyrics to the one.
One by one the stones are strung.
A strand, two strands, three strandsโ€”
They are jewels that embelish.
They beautify the beauty.

โ€”

RC Gormanโ€™s woman and turquoise

Peace

This corner is quiter,
Sitting on a placid lake,
Where still water
Hides a huge secret
Called love,
Is covered with a vast blanket
Called peace.

This corner is cozy,
Getting warmer and calmer,
Where a cat
Curls in a bed
Called dream,
Is lullabied with long slumber
Called hope.

How peaceful it is
Pampered with a life
Called humble.

Salaam.

โ€”

salaam means peace

A Dyed Heart


This heart is flowing fluid
Filling the soul with
Redness of bravery
And rage;
Pinkness of romance
And lust;
Orangeness of warmth
And attention craver;
Yellowness of glory
And jealousy;
Greenness of tranquility
And envy;
Blueness of peace
And mourning;
Whiteness of singularity,
And fear;
Blackness of mystery
And death.
When the soul blinks,
A spectrum ray chutes down
On to the ocean of mind,
Illuminates whatโ€™s to solve.

Is your face dyed as your heart is dyed, Beloved?
And your words
Your footsteps
Your breaths
Touch?

Or, layers of curtains shade your true colours?

โ€”

Broken

Whatโ€™s brokenโ€™s broken until connected again. Never be the sameโ€”

โ€”

one of my gorgeous ceramic plates was broken; now iโ€™m thinking of learning how to fix it

Floating So High

Keeping afloat, buoyant freely swaying playing the waves in the skyโ€”

โ€”

Coldplay never fails me

Iโ€™m Ready

Tell the sun rising and setting that Iโ€™m ready anytime: morning, night and dayโ€” to present whatโ€™s best in my humble life.

โ€”

๐Ÿ’— welcoming rising sun
๐Ÿ’— escorting the sun to sleep
๐Ÿ’• you can destroy the branches but you canโ€™t kill the tree with healthy roots
๐Ÿ’• so full and filled

A Loving Visit

A loving visit beyond time and space. Salaam. Universe answers.

โ€”

about the museum
beloved
beloved
beloved
when youโ€™re loved, people still visit you even when youโ€™re nowhere ๐Ÿ’
when youโ€™re loved, youโ€™re taken care of even when youโ€™re nowhere
beloved – visiting him with love, see you again
beloved – visiting him with love, see you again

Ode to Day

Dear, day.
Do you know that I never stop waiting for you?
When my watch ticks a second,
My heart drips a note,
My pulse vibrates softly,
I know I am closer to you.

Dear, day.
Do you know that every part of you blesses me?
When morning breaks,
Noon flares,
Dusk fades to night,
I know the next you is waiting
For me.

Day oh day
Many I canโ€™t understand,
Much I canโ€™t decipher,
Little I can see,
Very few I can give
Yet I still hope
To meet you again.

Dear, day.
How I am blessed with family,
Gifted with friends,
Sufficed with this self,
You are still the one
Sung by this heart.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
All have been today
And never faded away.

I am blessed, day
With another you
In the best way.

And for you
I am grateful.

โ€”

as dark as serene night
as shadowy as calm dusk
as bright as each and every morning
she is well protected under the shade of glorious sunflowers ๐Ÿ’
dear sunflower ๐Ÿ’•
and the white drops of details
when all glass vases are prioritised for orchid roots, fondue pot be todayโ€™s best choice ๐Ÿ’
all must be got rid of in order for the flower arrangement to get a spacious and โ€œcleanโ€ background โ€” there is always thing to prioritise; if it is not you, donโ€™t feel bad โ€” itโ€™s just like that everyday so just be blessed with becoming either 0 or 1 in this binary world ๐Ÿ’•

Love Diaries in A Library

This life is a library
Keeping all collections,
Reference to public,
Exclusive to a lover,
One lover.
The
Belovedโ€”

Read,
Beloved
Any scrolls
In this library.

Read,
Lover
The diaries
In the secret dungeon.

Read,
Beloved
With naked eyes, or
With any glasses on the shelves.

Read,
Lover
Through letters and numbers,
Shapes and colours.

Read,
Beloved
This library is open
As long as you are awake.

Read,
Lover
Before you sleep
When Iโ€™ll be reading you through.

โ€”

my earlier diaries are true stories through naked eyes; the later are colours, shapes, numbers, words in various styles and figures of speech needing some tricks and tips to sense layers of meanings and information โ€” we are all writers, librarians and readers ๐Ÿ’

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