7th month

The muse must be back from her wanderings and is staying home, because I wrote this piece in a breeze.

She's staying in because this is the Chinese 7th Month. The 7th Month is also known as the Ghost Month in the Chinese calendar, which the traditional Chinese believe the ghosts and spirits are released from the lower world and allowed to roam this mortal world. Activities during the month would include ritually offering food, and burning of hell money to appease these spirits.

So you can see why the muse is staying put.


image by dsnake1
generated from 'reptile'

7th month


i.

    are there ghosts
    that scramble
    for paper gold
    eat their fill
    of fruits & meat
    that line the
    pathways the drains
    the aprons of concrete?

ii.

    it is not so much
    we feared them

iii.

    do we not share the
    same corridors
    the roads,
    the playgrounds?
    it is that we pray
    please do no harm to us.

iv.

    and so take
    the gold and money
    and fruits and meat

v.

    and gather round
    smouldering joss sticks
    the fires of wax candles
    and burning offerings
    the flames flickering
    on bare ground
    in cauldrons

vi.

    as
    the night wind stirs
    the fluttering ashes
    that are your regrets &
    unfulfilled dreams

vii.

    and your tedium
    of wandering

    the centuries


19.08.07
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