Saturday, May 28, 2016

Tofu Brain


When one's brain becomes tofu, you just can't do anything much. Whatever you write becomes bland and white-ish and if you were to try to read a book, you'll read the same paragraph over and over again without understanding much of what you've read. You might try going for facebook, yet all you see are blur-ish posts and your fingers are just scrolling along mindlessly.

Because with a tofu brain, the brain feels heavy, bland, mooshi-whooshi; the silken type. There's nothing I can do, really. So, I sleep. Tofu brain likes this. I fell asleep immediately my head touches the pillow.

I sleep through the sound of husband tipp-tapping on his keyboard.
I sleep through the noise of dripping waters in the kitchen as my cleaner cleans the sink.
I sleep through an orchestra of barking dogs.
I sleep through the choir of neighbours shouting at their dogs.
I sleep through gates opening.
I sleep through gates closing.
A neighbour drives his or her car into the driveway. Which neighbour? Who cares? I sleep through this too.

DING DONG! I woke up. Someone presses the doorbell. It is my son, back from school. I am awake now. I put away the blanket and pillow, have some cookies and juice with son, and start to write.

Brain is back to normal.

Monday, May 23, 2016

This Wesak, I Have Flowers


On Wesak Day night, I sat down and wrote this little poem:

This Wesak,
I have flowers.
Burst of yellow, white, magenta
Chrysanthemum flowers.
I placed them on three small Ikea vases
And offer them
to Buddha
to Hope
to Love
to Joy
to Happiness
to Simplicity
to Loveliness
to Myself, also.
They beautify my life
And I appreciate their beauty.
Their mission fulfilled.
My mission fulfilled.
This Wesak,
I have flowers.
- Khema Yen, Wesak Day, 21 May 2016