Faster than the wind,
Greener than the wild evergreens on the plains,
Distracted as we may be,
We make a stand
Against thin air
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Giving Thanks
Stars, I have not seen you for months
I can barely imagine your presence.
Do you exist? Do I? Surely we do. But how?
Heavenly and banal thoughts, all well-mixed, on this Thanksgiving Day.
I can barely imagine your presence.
Do you exist? Do I? Surely we do. But how?
Heavenly and banal thoughts, all well-mixed, on this Thanksgiving Day.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A Note to an Aspiring Academic or Artist
You cannot become an academic (or an artist of any kind) if you cannot stand other people pointing their fingers at you and calling you a failure. You are not, in fact, a failure (as long as you are alive), but in some people's eyes, you have unquestionably failed at life, and you should be okay with that. You should even be able to befriend those kinds of people. If you are not okay with people calling you a failure, and if you are unable to befriend even the people who really believe that you have failed at life, then maybe you should start looking for a different path.
No, do not start looking for another path. If you have fallen into this path, it is your path. And it is, as the old saying goes, what you make of it.
No, do not start looking for another path. If you have fallen into this path, it is your path. And it is, as the old saying goes, what you make of it.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
To Complicate
"Simply, simply," someone said or wrote. I do not want to simply. I refuse to simply. I would like to complicate instead. Once I wrote somewhere, "Complicate till you drop." There shan't even be any "till" from now on. My island's name stands for complications (and never completeness). What does your island's name stand for?
I would like to create a set of complication tables. What will it look like? I do not yet know, but trees in the wind know. They know that air is never empty; it is usually very full of things. They know that the sky is never blue; it is almost always a combination of blue and some other color. For them, today is not a day; it is a date and only a date. A day is something much more complex.
I know now that I do not yet know what the process of complication actually involves or means. At this time, I still have no other choice but to drop.
I would like to create a set of complication tables. What will it look like? I do not yet know, but trees in the wind know. They know that air is never empty; it is usually very full of things. They know that the sky is never blue; it is almost always a combination of blue and some other color. For them, today is not a day; it is a date and only a date. A day is something much more complex.
I know now that I do not yet know what the process of complication actually involves or means. At this time, I still have no other choice but to drop.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
An Anti-Alphabetical Phase
Full of longing, and the alphabet cannot express all that I am feeling. The alphabet forces me to leave all typography behind, except for a bare minimum, which is egregiously far from enough. How the trees sway, and yet the letters are not adequate to capture the sunlight glinting and glancing in ways no human or animal eyes can. I pray this be just a phase. The alphabet is, and will be, whether I like it or not, my last straw.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Change
Unable to read or write, or
Remember pain, I float
In mute silence
Unable to sit or sleep,
The days leave me behind, while
Fatigue and forgetting take their toll:
Flowers, petals, and tongues.
Remember pain, I float
In mute silence
Unable to sit or sleep,
The days leave me behind, while
Fatigue and forgetting take their toll:
Flowers, petals, and tongues.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Seven Lines of Cascading Ambivalence
In the dwindling spaces of stars
Lost to the wind
Trees stand still, leaves dark and sparkling
From across a distance,
I am watching the abandoned balloons
Disappear
Vacuously, anxiously, tremendously
Lost to the wind
Trees stand still, leaves dark and sparkling
From across a distance,
I am watching the abandoned balloons
Disappear
Vacuously, anxiously, tremendously
Sunday, October 16, 2011
On OWS
New York, New York:
The Guggenheim Museum is a spiral or two away
On the Waterfront, there are no ducks; just vividly blue waves crashing
A few blocks down, a leafy garden in the sun,
And a dry-cleaner with lots of pastel-colored wire hangers hanging from cacophonous, metallic racks.
Do the crowds really know what Wall Street stands for? I don't think so. I think they are clueless, to be exact. For one thing, Wall Street doesn't stand for greed. It stands for dishonesty, period. Even if greed might characterize Wall Street, that isn't the problem. Greed can consume and destroy the greedy person by bringing him or her incredible amounts of stress, but it usually won't harm others. Dishonesty is the real culprit. The financiers who are responsible are unwilling to take responsibility not because they are greedy, but because they are dishonest. And you know what, dishonesty provides a defense mechanism to those who practice it. That's what dishonesty is for. No human being inherently likes to be dishonest. It is only out of the need to protect oneself. So don't point out their greed. That's superfluous! Point out their dishonesty.
Also, don't say "Occupy" blah-blah-blah. What a weak and negative word they've chosen for themselves; I am so full of contempt for them native English-speakers. You can only occupy a toilet or a colony. Why not "Overthrow Wall Street"? In modern history, aristocrats have been overthrown; kings and queens, too, and colonial governments as well. Their grounds, palaces, estates may have been occupied by revolutionaries, but that was just a means to an end. Overthrowing was the goal. The word "occupy" boggles my mind so much that I am beginning to wonder if this movement is being backed by Washington and Wall Street banks to allow the poor, poor masses to vent their anger, and to mislead them into scapegoating a toilet that doesn't exist. That way, Washington and Wall Street will never take the real blame. How smart of them, if this is what they are actually up to (which I doubt, but still - there is always a possibility).
With deepest love and admiration I say: America, you are such a silly country. You talk so fondly of the Arab Spring, and yet - how many dictatorships have you supported throughout history in the Arab world alone? But I do not blame you. Victors never have to repent. Even if they have to be dishonest.
The Guggenheim Museum is a spiral or two away
On the Waterfront, there are no ducks; just vividly blue waves crashing
A few blocks down, a leafy garden in the sun,
And a dry-cleaner with lots of pastel-colored wire hangers hanging from cacophonous, metallic racks.
Do the crowds really know what Wall Street stands for? I don't think so. I think they are clueless, to be exact. For one thing, Wall Street doesn't stand for greed. It stands for dishonesty, period. Even if greed might characterize Wall Street, that isn't the problem. Greed can consume and destroy the greedy person by bringing him or her incredible amounts of stress, but it usually won't harm others. Dishonesty is the real culprit. The financiers who are responsible are unwilling to take responsibility not because they are greedy, but because they are dishonest. And you know what, dishonesty provides a defense mechanism to those who practice it. That's what dishonesty is for. No human being inherently likes to be dishonest. It is only out of the need to protect oneself. So don't point out their greed. That's superfluous! Point out their dishonesty.
Also, don't say "Occupy" blah-blah-blah. What a weak and negative word they've chosen for themselves; I am so full of contempt for them native English-speakers. You can only occupy a toilet or a colony. Why not "Overthrow Wall Street"? In modern history, aristocrats have been overthrown; kings and queens, too, and colonial governments as well. Their grounds, palaces, estates may have been occupied by revolutionaries, but that was just a means to an end. Overthrowing was the goal. The word "occupy" boggles my mind so much that I am beginning to wonder if this movement is being backed by Washington and Wall Street banks to allow the poor, poor masses to vent their anger, and to mislead them into scapegoating a toilet that doesn't exist. That way, Washington and Wall Street will never take the real blame. How smart of them, if this is what they are actually up to (which I doubt, but still - there is always a possibility).
With deepest love and admiration I say: America, you are such a silly country. You talk so fondly of the Arab Spring, and yet - how many dictatorships have you supported throughout history in the Arab world alone? But I do not blame you. Victors never have to repent. Even if they have to be dishonest.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Swirling in Mint
Longing for mint tea, I return on the Square
Searching for lemon drops, I gather my tea cups in the rain
Fly away, tear drops
Till the hour you return
Searching for lemon drops, I gather my tea cups in the rain
Fly away, tear drops
Till the hour you return
Sunday, October 9, 2011
A Snail's Day
A snail made its way across the window pane and it was content. There were no rainbows in the sky--just clouds. It had stopped breathing in fumes long ago. Its house was covered with leaves, just leaves. Old leaves and new ones, mixed and tossed. Water was everywhere, and the earth was a soft bed. Then it began to pour. A mudslide swallowed the house with all the leaves. Seven hours later, the snail emerged from under the mud alone, just slowly, and the sun was shining.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Plum Wine
Gramange sang:
"Nothing is pure
Nothing is barren
Life has a way of effectuating change
So don't give up"
A ripe plum fell off a branch and smashed into the earth.
"Nothing is pure
Nothing is barren
Life has a way of effectuating change
So don't give up"
A ripe plum fell off a branch and smashed into the earth.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Rain, Far and Near
Popping away in dreams
The sounds, the waves, people's faces
Strike a chord, in a warm fuzz
Rain covers the ground in three droplets
Coating the grass with translucent chalk
Leaving day and night behind
The sounds, the waves, people's faces
Strike a chord, in a warm fuzz
Rain covers the ground in three droplets
Coating the grass with translucent chalk
Leaving day and night behind
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Trouble
* Exegesis: "Trouble" (Cat Stevens)
I think I know exactly how an establishment, an organization, a person's conscience, degrades itself. It is by a toxic mixture of hubris, ignorance, and false reputation. But it is largely through ignorance, which often is largely innocent in nature.
It is hilarious when an ignorant person pretends to parse out wisdom, and deeply troublesome when two people who are barely conversant in a topic congratulate one another on their feigned intelligence. It is disappointing when parents do not let their children grow on their own - it is more cruel then bending the stalk of a growing lily and trying to tie it into a knot. It is embarrassing when teachers do not know their students.
Tears flow freely from the two unseeing eyes set deeply in my heart, but perhaps this is nothing more than the effect of a fast-approaching autumn.
I think I know exactly how an establishment, an organization, a person's conscience, degrades itself. It is by a toxic mixture of hubris, ignorance, and false reputation. But it is largely through ignorance, which often is largely innocent in nature.
It is hilarious when an ignorant person pretends to parse out wisdom, and deeply troublesome when two people who are barely conversant in a topic congratulate one another on their feigned intelligence. It is disappointing when parents do not let their children grow on their own - it is more cruel then bending the stalk of a growing lily and trying to tie it into a knot. It is embarrassing when teachers do not know their students.
Tears flow freely from the two unseeing eyes set deeply in my heart, but perhaps this is nothing more than the effect of a fast-approaching autumn.
Myopia Alert
Lorraine sang: "Perhaps you will not understand how ponderous my heart gets, and how glazed my eyes, at the thought of my own future, and just thinking about myopia." But her song went largely unnoticed because of its muddled message. Lorraine changed her name and was gone.
In another corner of the globe, Terrine said: "Today I received enough myopia on my skin to turn it bright purple." Her color did not seem to change, but the terribly exhausted tone of her voice made me feel sorry enough to mutter, "Terrine, oh Terrine." And someone ate Terrine the day after!
Outside the Solar System, myopia had its own kingdom spread over four point three six seven light years. It had over a million colonies universe-wide. What if the kingdom itself expanded to more light years? Horror! Myopia kills. And it seemed to be infecting the entire universe.
But perhaps, I was dreaming. Was I?
In another corner of the globe, Terrine said: "Today I received enough myopia on my skin to turn it bright purple." Her color did not seem to change, but the terribly exhausted tone of her voice made me feel sorry enough to mutter, "Terrine, oh Terrine." And someone ate Terrine the day after!
Outside the Solar System, myopia had its own kingdom spread over four point three six seven light years. It had over a million colonies universe-wide. What if the kingdom itself expanded to more light years? Horror! Myopia kills. And it seemed to be infecting the entire universe.
But perhaps, I was dreaming. Was I?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Anti-Exoticism
Before I go join an anti-nuclear power protest parade,
I would like to take part in an anti-exoticism march.
Exoticism is a mode of thought that overemphasizes distance, most of all.
An exotic place is somewhere very far away;
An exotic thing has come from afar;
An exotic person was born in a faraway land;
And an exotic scent has more power to transport than a normal scent.
As if going as far away as possible made one superior.
It doesn't.
What matters is precisely where one goes; precisely which routes one takes.
Far or near, the exact location counts.
Exactitude is a precious gift.
Remember: distance is always measured from a reference point.
And that reference point could be placed anywhere and everywhere.
I would like to take part in an anti-exoticism march.
Exoticism is a mode of thought that overemphasizes distance, most of all.
An exotic place is somewhere very far away;
An exotic thing has come from afar;
An exotic person was born in a faraway land;
And an exotic scent has more power to transport than a normal scent.
As if going as far away as possible made one superior.
It doesn't.
What matters is precisely where one goes; precisely which routes one takes.
Far or near, the exact location counts.
Exactitude is a precious gift.
Remember: distance is always measured from a reference point.
And that reference point could be placed anywhere and everywhere.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Zebra Colors
"All of this is all too foreign to me," I cried out, staring at the rows of Chinese characters which were extremely pleasing to my eyes. They, the characters, were like music, but even grander. Yet perhaps it was so because I did not comprehend them entirely. I saw them as droplets of sheer magma, exploding with a curiously warm and silent glare. At other times, I saw them as pure ice, glinting under the weak sun, and wavering like black leaves. If the alphabet is organismic, Chinese characters are geological. Caves and mountains, you name them. The galaxy.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
A Batik Painting
There is a jungle above my computer screen
It is green and red
The fronds of foliage turn and turn
And the sun is nowhere to be seen
It is green and red
The fronds of foliage turn and turn
And the sun is nowhere to be seen
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Gender Trouble and More
Never say "you're not girly enough" to a girl, or "you're not manly enough" to a boy. What is "enough," anyway? But regardless of what people say or don't say, the most horrifying thing is for a girl to think, "I'm not girly enough," and for a boy to think, "I'm not manly enough." What use is it when one strangles oneself with a preconceived rope of baseless assumptions?
Pink is not for girls, and blue is not for boys. A quiet person is not anti-social, and a loud person isn't necessarily social. Not all birds fly; not all flying birds are the same kind of birds, although their differences also do not follow any black-and-white patterns.
What? This is the world.
Pink is not for girls, and blue is not for boys. A quiet person is not anti-social, and a loud person isn't necessarily social. Not all birds fly; not all flying birds are the same kind of birds, although their differences also do not follow any black-and-white patterns.
What? This is the world.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Grins
Sometimes, I am sadder than sad.
Despair is a boundless feeling. It is akin to an incredible sense of security. Not comfort, but security.
And I am afraid of being too busy, and becoming a headless robot. By now, I have learned that one misses a whole lot when one speeds up too much, or spends too much time torturing oneself.
Despair is a boundless feeling. It is akin to an incredible sense of security. Not comfort, but security.
And I am afraid of being too busy, and becoming a headless robot. By now, I have learned that one misses a whole lot when one speeds up too much, or spends too much time torturing oneself.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
English Is
My two favorite expressions in English...
"Good for you." A positive statement, without getting cloying. It's far superior to saying, "That's great." or even "Good job." (the latter never really exists as a spoken expression anyway, except in children's talk).
"Why is there so much crap on my desk?" I have always thought that "crap" sounds like something tasty. Like "crab." And being the little Japanese person that I am, "crap" almost always reminds me of "clap," or something festive like that.
"Good for you." A positive statement, without getting cloying. It's far superior to saying, "That's great." or even "Good job." (the latter never really exists as a spoken expression anyway, except in children's talk).
"Why is there so much crap on my desk?" I have always thought that "crap" sounds like something tasty. Like "crab." And being the little Japanese person that I am, "crap" almost always reminds me of "clap," or something festive like that.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Poplar Avenue
"I hate it when people think popularity is everything.
It's not.
It is not nothing, but it isn't everything, either. Didn't we learn this in high school, or even earlier?
This is why I dislike votes, most of all. What are votes?
Votes are never individual; they are never about you.
Your vote is always about everyone else, except yourself. How could this be?
No matter how much altruistic elixir I force myself to drink, I will always die an individualist.
Who cares? I care,"
Compri said.
It's not.
It is not nothing, but it isn't everything, either. Didn't we learn this in high school, or even earlier?
This is why I dislike votes, most of all. What are votes?
Votes are never individual; they are never about you.
Your vote is always about everyone else, except yourself. How could this be?
No matter how much altruistic elixir I force myself to drink, I will always die an individualist.
Who cares? I care,"
Compri said.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Day's End
At the end of the day, all I want is laughter. All I am looking for, ultimately, is laughter and music. Even I knew that, but I dare not admit it to anybody, lest I be thought of as decadent.
However, I did say, "At the end of the day." Before the day's end, there will be toil, unhappiness, and discomfort--plenty of them.
Because laughter, once it has burst open and is in the air as vibration, is universal, like music.... Even plants, especially plants, will feel it, and rocks and water, too.
However, I did say, "At the end of the day." Before the day's end, there will be toil, unhappiness, and discomfort--plenty of them.
Because laughter, once it has burst open and is in the air as vibration, is universal, like music.... Even plants, especially plants, will feel it, and rocks and water, too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)