DAILY PHOTO: Church of St. Paul, Malacca
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Author Archives: B Gourley
“Beginners” by Walt Whitman [w/ Audio]
How they are provided for upon the earth,
(appearing at intervals;)
How dear and dreadful they are to the earth;
How they inure to themselves as much as to
any -- What a paradox appears their age;
How people respond to them, yet know them not;
How there is something relentless in their fate,
all times;
How all times mischoose the objects of their
adulation and reward,
And how the same inexorable price must still
be paid for the same great purchase.
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BOOKS: “Dark Demon Rising” by Tunku Halim
Dark demon rising by Tunku HalimMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
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On one level this is a folklore-based tale of horror, but – on another level – it is a commentary on tribal village life versus modern life in the super-tribal metropole.
The lead character, Shazral, comes from a long line of Shaman — medicine men. However, in the opening chapter we find that he has moved to the big city, Kuala Lumpur, and has become a successful lawyer. He has a nice office, a big salary, and a fashionable sportscar. He thinks he has it all. Then he’s called to return to the village to see his dying father. Son and father haven’t been on speaking terms because the father wanted Shazral to continue the Shamanic line, but Shazral wanted to escape the village and the strained familial situation that existed since his mother died during his youth. His return sets events in motion, events that will both show his beloved city life isn’t all it seems, as well as drawing him into the family business.
I enjoyed the story and think it was well-crafted and evocative. The backstory provides powerful motive, and the characters are distinctive and worthy of the reader’s consideration. There were a number of typos in the edition that I read (none were detrimental to understanding the story, but they could break the flow of reading.)
I’d recommend this book for readers interested in tales of horror rooted in folklore (in this case Malaysian folklore) and shamanism.
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Macaque [Lyric Poem]
I feared a big macaque attack
As I walked by, turning my back.
Though its expression seemed ill-meaning,
I turned to see it was still preening.
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DAILY PHOTO: Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
“Silk-Washing Stream” by Su Shi [w/ Audio]
Stream-washed leaves are glistening.
Someone is boiling cocoons.
Workers gossip, I'm listening.
Dim-eyed man with a cane spoons
Food into a bowl, bending
To pass it before I swoon.
I ask when the bean leaves yellow.
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PROMPT: Screentime
How do you manage screen time for yourself?
Many ways, really: e.g. Go for a walk or otherwise move. Forget it exists. When the WiFi goes down, take it as a sign from the universe. Juggle. Do something productive.
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Red Hibiscus [Haiku]
the red hibiscus
draws attention to itself,
while pointing downward.
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The Writing on the Wall [Free Verse]
I see the writing on the wall,
and find it untrustworthy
because of all the stories
of valiant warriors
framed for treason
with forged poems
scrawled on tavern walls.
And of the virtuous men
who did write rancorous poems,
but did so while blackout drunk.
And I wonder whether the words
I am seeing are forged or written
under the influence
of intoxicants,
or -- possibly -- they are the truth.
But I cannot read them,
so I find them irrelevant,
though they may convey
crucial information,
such as:
- the existence of a vampire infestation, or
- the presence of cholera in the town well.
So, I can see the writing on the wall,
but I find it neither trustworthy
nor relevant --
(though my life may depend
on its contents.)
Tiger Riding for Beginners 