Caged Bird – free verse

My father had a black starling.
It loved eating kepok* banana – no, had no choice.
It sang – no, cried
It danced – no, nervous
It entertained our guests – no, tried to escape
It slept peacefully – no, dreamed nightmares days and nights
It did happily – no, a prisoner.

The cage was wires and wood.
We hoped it could talk.

Our family moved
To a much smaller home.
Our starling got neglected
How much I can feel the guilty is like a teary moment to a bloody heart!

The black starling got a home
Bigger:
My mother’s relative.

It loved eating kepok* banana – no, had no choice.
It sang – no, cried
It danced – no, nervous
It entertained our guests – no, tried to escape
It slept peacefully – no, dreamed nightmares days and nights
It did happily – no, a prisoner.

The cage was wires and wood, half we gave to it.
We hoped it could talk.

If you are dead, dear Black Starling,
Be in a peaceful moment.
Fly with your beautiful wings, black and shiny!
Feed your life with all the fresh memories.
Forget all the cages and bars.
Be the air
Be the vapour
Be the atmosphere
Be our silent guidance to the freedom out of this cage.

Thank you for your will to be our prisoner
Thank you for your sincerity to be our exhibition
Thank you for your sacrifice to feed our ego
Thank you for your life to complete our purity.

See you across the bridge.
You’ve met him, right?
Tell him you forgive us.

Yours truly,

Me

Shanghai – Dec. 15, 2018 – 12:05 noon is here

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Lily

While waiting for flight, I went for a stroll in the garden of Changi airport as always, never think of boredom enjoying the sounds of forest and splash of water in the middle of greenery and flowers. Sometimes I envy how the “small red dot” can radiate such beauty’ while my beloved huge archipelago Indonesia is still craving for what’s called fairness (you can call it justice) for all….

Long story short, the giant bouquet was full of lilies and sunflowers and I was tempted to take some close-up pictures of them. The lilies are stunning, the sunflowers are just magnificent. But lilies drew my attention more strongly.

The pink and some stripes and dots show me details of pretty colors. And, I remembered lily symbolizes lots of quality of soul. Hope, transitioning, purity, renewal, passion, soul itself, motherhood, wedding, innocence and others…. Such a thorough symbol she is indeed.

All pictures are such clear message to me that those qualities above are existing that they are “patented” in the presence of lily by the ancient generations.

Let’s enjoy the beauty of lilies…

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When colors do not attract eyes anymore,
Maybe it’s time for soul to go home.

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But soul need no home to go,
She is the home for the life.

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The door stands still, and we’re never outside.

Penang – March 17, 2015 – 7:57am – ready to cross Penang bridge