The Poetry Marathon

She ran as fast as her legs would carry
To the safety of her little room
Even his words felt like they were chasing her
Running was her only option

It wasn’t often she gets called for coffee
But he seemed intriguing
And she let her guard down but now
Running was her only option

He was calm when he proposed the unfathomable
She could accompany him on his ‘field’ trips
As his whore; he said friend.
Running was her only option

She thought he was different
She thought he really cared
With the proposal, his outer skin came off and
Running was her only option

Home now a distant memory
A photograph embedded in the corners of her mind
Her silhouette standing against the front gate
Now broken now demolished
In an empty house, an empty home
Where did time go?
Can she build again in this new place where
Land is scarce and stars only appear on screens?
Only time will tell
Hope, it seems is lost for now
Just a little courage to not fall
Home…

She will leave her girlish laughter behind
She cannot take the air with her
She will not hide her tears but how will she laugh again?
The smell of ripe guava trees will be forever etched upon her mind
The sound of the morning rooster will ring in her head
They will never understand the grief of leaving her old wooden house behind
The warmth of the kitchen in the cold mornings
Against the cold cement and red marble floor will remain in her heart
When the nights get cold in the city and the longing begins
She will hold these memories close
Like she does her handmade quilt blanket against her body

The rising tide pushes her further up the shore
The salt water rushes to meet her feet
As she inches her way back against the dense forest
The fire from the logs emits smoke as the wind blows
She knows she would have to leave soon
As the earth begins its descend into complete darkness.
She shakes of the sand from the back of her ‘sarong’
And heads towards the unknown
With a glance over at the dark horizon
She steps towards the dark with a sigh
Realizing this might be the last time she sees the sea, the shore, and the place she calls home.

One more for the road
Crash and burn
Crash and burn
Not so fast
One more to go
Here it is
One more for the road

I did it
They said it could not be done
I did it
Although it was not all fun
Words didn’t come easy
I stumbled and fell
Sleep dragged me into an overwhelming hell
But I did it
Although I too doubted it
But now it’s done
I can go have some fun!

It’s here my life began
It’s here the nine of us gathered
Every school holiday, every celebration
But you’re gone
And the nine of us have scattered
Will we ever find another you
194E, Thean Teik Road

I wandered in hoping to do some work
I caught a glimpse of you
My whole world churned

Thirty years is a long time
I just thought of you
How is it you are now in front

I stepped back hoping you didn’t notice
I turned and ran into the streets
Good thing you did not follow

Dear darling Douglas,
Bright blue skies, surfing high waves
With love, yours truly

Two by two
Follow the leader
Left right left right
Away we go