Language of the Heart

Curling steam

from the Ipoh coffee

wafts through

Shanghai jazz

Stepping inside

the old alleys—

colours dissolve

into monochrome

I find myself

walking and

riding rickshaws—

circa-1950s Chinatown

A beautiful voice

spins my heart

around and around

like a carousel

The figure in stilettos

gracefully tucked

in a silk Qipao

Covered and exposed

simultaneously—

high neck and

a side slit

Barriers fade—

inviting me

into

the language of the heart

Behind Lipstick Traces

Thirsty—

send some

raindrops

With warm

breath of air

Hiding behind

lipstick traces

Where We Stand

Erratic it seemed—

as the boy started

talking loudly

Sugar spike or

rewiring of neurons

Madness—

some might judge

Deficiency of some sort—

others might diagnose

The father took notes—

documenting perhaps

The child continued

unabated

When Visions Intersect

The light

watches me

again—

glaring eyes

behind the

silhouette

Unavoidable—

our visions

intersect

Sights locked—

silence ensues

Lessons Learned or Not

“Lessons learned,”

they said—

then continued

cycling

Blood Type

Be positive—blood type of the negatives

Stars Obscured

Window half opened—

a threshold

Lawn outside—

cordylines and yuccas

stand in solitude

undisturbed

by the evening breeze

Empty street

under a starry night

Street lamp—

punctuating the

serene darkness

and stars obscured

Origami Birds

Tiny hands are

paper folding

Mastering her

origami

Birds are made

with careful creases

Left to perch

in silent rooms

Misty breeze

let them fly

Through the fields of

chamomile

Fingers numb

from turning pages

Finding wings

to brave the weather

Folding feels like

it’s never ending

Paper hearts

are ripping now

Misty breeze

let them fly

Through the fields of

chamomile

Tears are soaking

paper bodies

Wings subdued

with feathers falling

Flapping hard

but going nowhere

Claws hang loose

in misery

Misty breeze

let them fly

Through the fields of

chamomile

Look up at the blue sky

Calling out to the universe

Let hope guide them through the space

Through the morning

Through the night

Misty breeze

let them fly

Through the fields of

chamomile

Carry them

soft and high

Let their fragile dreams

survive

A Little Sweetness

Sad and blue—darling, have some sugar

Unconcerned

We dissolved

into one another

the tabby slept—

unconcerned

beneath us