MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 444: CORRUPTED CORRIDORS

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 444: CORRUPTED CORRIDORS

cautious corridor

awry of open access

friend or fiend to cross

Note:

There is poetry everywhere and poets see in images. We learn from what we have observed in a different light.

The English language is often an amusing one and can be confusing for the beginner. Fiend is short of an “r”, when tongues cannot roll in talks, wary only if they run like a politician.

In the corridors of power, with free open access to all, we need to be wary and awry of excessive access. Sure, a lot of choices and options, but how good and effective are those choice. We have people who access via lifts, elevator, rotating doors, back door and even in back stab. Good to be cautious especially in a pandemic. We do not know the person we encounter wears his/her masks, and what viruses hide behind that mask. We need distance, but the physical and the social is often confusing, despite the many forwarded mails one may have read. One could be obsessive in their washing and still got infected. The infected cases are still in four figures, and the death rate rise to three figures, despite the full movement control. Our hope falls on herd immunity, with our slow vaccination processes. Yes, the word is “fall”, and that is English. Even the word cross is open to interpretation.

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 527: POETIC POWER

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 527: POETIC POWER

petals on paved path

wind and rain fail to wake up

straight sleep till  morning

breezy pitch-dark park

dew drops, drizzle, douse and drench

straight silvery strands

sprint back for shelter

dry up, rain and warm shower

catch cold viruses

miss craze of childhood

cup of caffeine for flashback

poetic power

Note:

We walk in nearby park almost every morning.  It is not only physical exercises for us, but also social gathering. The excitement of running in the rain triggers the reminiscent of the craze of childhood, and the fun of it. Unfortunately the kids miss all these hilarity. They read too much about bad cold immunity and the fear of catching the bad bugs. How good to be messy at times! These haiku lines enters the head; not the viruses. This  is the healing power of poetry.

The pictures are all copied and pasted from the web, with gratitude and appreciation.

POEM TRANSLATION ECHOES 496 WITH NOTES

POEM TRANSLATION ECHOES 496 WITH NOTES

BULGARIAN BULWARK

（保加利亞堡垒）

city clings on cliff

城鎮懸崖挂

ruined castle and church wound

毁坏城堡和教堂

around the river

缠绕着河流

old bulwark fortress

旧時城堡垒

good vibe lazing around lane

巷子悠閒好感应

with artistic craft

与工业艺术

long queue at the church

在教堂排隊

confession to Sofia

向索菲亚表忏悔

sins without sinners

犯者无罪孽

hermit hidden deep

隱士深藏着

in forested mountain caves

在林中深處山洞

miracles for sick

为疾病奇迹

Note:

Living at the edge, both physically and mentally, are always memorable and unusual. The ruined castle and churches reminded of war and destruction. Whether killed or be killed, the living always live with hurt and wound, which wind or wrapped around the twist and turn or river of life.

No matter how fortified the fortress was built, they were destroyed in war, leaving behind memories for future generation to sing in praise or blame. Shedding off historical burden, it is a good feeling simply just to laze around. I enjoy watching the artisan skills and artifacts, without further cluttering my house.

In another city, I saw many majestic churches, with their named patron saints. In one Catholic church, there was a queue for confession. In this world, none of us are perfect; we have all sinned. If I were to queue, my narration of sins would be long, frustrated the time wait in the line. My tour guide would not wait for me. There were or are sins without sinners, otherwise the creator could be blamed for the imperfections.

Moving ahead, we arrived at the popular Rila Monastry. We heard stories about the hermit and his miracle cures, and thus the sainthood bestowed. Without all these religion, we would miss out these magnificent buildings within the great mountains, with their fresco, icons, wood carving and rituals. Though religions are often linked to war and conflict, they are due to failings of believers, especially the leaders, than the belief per se. Thus some believe in God without the labels, but it is the name or brand that bonds.  Maybe it is the language and cultures that divides beings (awareness) with varied consciousness.

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 496: BULGARIAN BULWARK

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 496: BULGARIAN BULWARK

city clings on cliff

ruined castle and church wound

around the river

old bulwark fortress

good vibe lazing around lane

with artistic craft

long queue at the church

confession to Sofia

sins without sinners

hermit hidden deep

in forested mountain caves

miracles for sick

Note:

Bulgaria has perhaps more saints than others; about 104 canonized.  Rila Monastry is a UNESCO Heritage site, worthy of visit. Without religion, we would probably miss a lot of grand architectural building with their fresco, icons and wood or ivory carvings; yet many wars were connected to religions of various kinds, even in countries with the same faith. Human beings like to divide and split; perhaps many can get into top posts.The holy could be full of holes. It could be culture and language. I think it is more of human hearts. A world without poetry, philosophy and arts is a dangerous world, irrespective of scientific progress. We need a balance in all, especially in our education. The minister of Education and the Prime Minister and leaders need to be re-educated or step down.

I am basically a doctor-cum-poet, not a politician. There is no financial profit or gain in my writing. I am writing randomly on my feeling and thoughts. No offence is intended to anybody

HAIKU TRANSLATION ECHOES 469, WITH NOTES

HAIKU TRANSLATION ECHOES 469, WITH NOTES

STREET SCENE

（街景）

sunny after storm

陽光風暴後

rain refreshes the stale dead air

雨灑污燥的死氣

dirt and dust settle

灰塵沉淀降

serene street scene seen

安静的街景

the greens regain their old shine

绿樹重回其光泽

invigorate walk

振兴活步行

idyllic sunset

诗般的日落

life under high tension wire

高壓线下的生活

dazed by neon lights

被氖灯晕眩

Note:

The sun always appears after rain and storm. The storm could be physical or political weather, or darkness in personal mood swings. The rain refreshes the air, and settles down the dirt and dust of living. The shine brings light to the environment and hope to people. However, there is no panacea, and no expectation of a perfect clean society overnight. The last election brings hope for change; some of the corrupt dust and dirt have been removed; but the fundamentals of real change are untouched. The stains on the curtains and pillars are not washed properly. Gradually we see the eroding of change itself, and the return of corruption by different hands. There is no instability and chaos, like a tsunami or massive earthquake. The streets are washed, somewhat cleaner, and trees regain their old shine and sheen, thus enabling the park safer to stroll.

With regain vigour, we stroll in a nearby new housing garden, located on higher lands near the highway. With new marketing strategy and media, we are impressed with the new landscape. There are verdant hills, with cycling path by the lake. The sunset on yonder hills, with their reflection, turning silvery from purplish as night fall, are romantic reminders of bygone days. The shimmering neon lights daze the eyes, with attractive houses to dream about. We are blind to the high tension wire, or even the traffic and factory emission nearby. Never mind the causes of radiation and cancer causation, for lives are more complicated than that. The country has 50% obesity rate, with diabetes and associated diseases on the rise. Living under stress, mental illness affect a third of the population; we are among the top users or abuses of tranquilizer and psychotropic globally.

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 238: MUSING EYELIDS

MALAYSIAN HAIKU/SENRYU ECHOES 238: MUSING EYELIDS

 

eyelids fall and fall

reading glass broods in silence

the muse amuses