MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 587: LOOK AND LONGING
sight and eyes differ
thought divide and set apart
no trace together
chaotic changes
seniors trap in wooded world
shared longing not lost
Note:
Due to the pandemic, we were separated from my daughter and grand children in Singapore for almost two years. This was our third attempt. Finally the doors on both sides are opened. We have to do our PCR test in Malaysia within 48 hours prior flight, and it was a Sunday around noon. We paid Rm120 , with senior citizen discount. We arrived at KLIA three hours prior flight time, and the procedure went smoothly. We landed at Changi Airport in about 70 mins. We went through the immigration , with special assistance and ease. We then claimed our luggage, and long queue for another PCR test, costing S125, without senior citizen discount. I kept asking about their TRACE TOGETHER (equivalent of Mysejahtera) soft ware, for we had no clue on how to enter our data. Similarly we received no help at the Airport and at the Immigration department in city. It is run by Government Technology Department. There was no one to speak to, just log in the problem. Eventually, through lots of pain and trouble we were told to do antibodies study for those who intended to stay longer than a month. We had to do few times of ART, twice at GP clinic; very stringent move at border crossing these days. Frankly, without my daughter’s help, there is no way we can get clarification.
This morning my in laws bought a copy of Lianhe Zaobao Chinese paper. The posting above was on top of the headlines,, showing the 39 year old grafic artist, with the word, PAN. At the end of each year, the Paper had the tradition of naming a Chinese character that best described the mood for 2021. Ten words were selected, and Pan had the highest vote score. Other words are: change, Together, Family, Trapped, Wait, Shared etc.
Pan is made up of two radicals. The left shows, mu, meaning eyes or sight; the right fen meaning differ or separation. However, I feel more trapped in an e-world; the seniors are liked surrounded in a wood (woodland)in a modern e world. They felt lost. Strange we have to trace “them”, not they trace us. This is the coldness of government machinery. Nevertheless, the experience inspired me to compose both haiku to express my sentiments that senior citizens are not accounted for well in their management.
With apology , I did not obtain prior permission to publish the front page of the art calligraphy. I have no commercial or any interest in using it, other than appreciation and promotion of his artistic skills,and in Chinese language.
wonkywizard 