I deeply believe
the pandemic saved me
reminded me
that life doesn’t have to be so complicated
that my schedule doesn’t have to be
so suffocated
I quite like
the lazy afternoons
the song of neighborhood birds
nine hours of sleep
honking cars unheard
After all
If I may be coy
Is this not what we work
Our whole lives to enjoy?
(I thought this would be a fun way to start 2022, by reflecting on some of my benefits from the great pandemic – anyway, happy 2022 everyone)
I had many toys
Dolls, stuffed animals, plastic babies
I wonder why
Little girls were given plastic babies
Instead of spaceship Legos
Or lightsabers?
This is a poem from my second collection (work in progress). This second collection is inspired by Rupi Kaur and Lang Leav. Check out my first collection at the shop.
I finally picked up Milk and Honey (Rupi Kaur) and also Lang Leav‘s poetry collections: Love Looks Good On You. Needless to say, it was the boost I needed to start working on my second poetry collection! There are so far 60 short proses and poems in the draft, and here is one of them.
“Have you started bleeding?”
“No…have you?”
“Of course! Last year!”
“Wow. How does it feel?”
“Oh, you know, just a bit bloody. Not too bad.”
Why hasn’t mine come yet?
Is something wrong with me?
Where could I have gotten more information
Other than the other girls’ conversations
Why was there no education
No open communication
On something so important
As our menstruation?
For more of my poetry, you can check out my first poetry collection: A Season of Poetry at the shop. Thank you for your support!
This is the second digital art I’ve commissioned this year, the first one being a Nisha fanart. This one is an illustration of one of my poems: Live Your Life. The poem is part of the collection A Season of Poetry.
Here is the digital art commission, and the artist is Laurentia Prisca.
As usual, curious me asked the artist some questions so I can get to know her better.
Airin : How did you learn to draw?
Laurentia : Self-taught from tutorials! And also seeing references which is similar to my style.
Airin : What attracts you to making digital art ?
Laurentia : I saw some of my favorite KDrama illustrations on Instagram, so I got interested to try it out, but not seriously. When the lockdown started, I was so bored being at home all the time, so I decided to refresh myself by working on the digital art.
Airin : What do you do for work ?
Laurentia : I’m a geotechnical engineer.
Airin : (at this point I am highly impressed) I bet you have other hidden talents! What are your other hobbies?
Laurentia : I enjoy singing, and I watch a lot of movies.
What a cool gal! Check out her other digital drawings on her Instagram gallery.
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So much death
Every hour, every day
We hear news left and right
She’s passed on, he’s gone
Their family got the virus
Our family has tested positive
I don’t dare to pick up the phone
Lest it’s another gut wrenching update
I don’t want to check whatsapp groups
Lest it’s another acquaintance getting infected
Where can we turn?
Who can we go to?
Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna?
Billions are scrambling for all of those
How are we going to mourn
When this is all over
If this will be over
Who will be left?
How much more can we stand
Burning in this hot mess
Before we too stumble and break
How much longer?
Written July 2021
Illustrator brigit.ta has published a gorgeous artwork accompaniment to this poem.
“Better than sex.”
“The best experience in my life.”
“I love the beer after a deep dive!”
“Been diving since I was 13.”
“Its like flying.”
“Its freedom!”
“Its my therapy.”
“Its my meditation.”
“Its a different world down there.”
“Its so beautiful.”
“Help, I can’t equalize!”
“Aren’t you afraid of the water?”
“Of the sharks?”
“Of the deep?”
“Of the dark?”
“Will we see the sunfish?”
“Do you use nitrox, or oxygen?”
“I’m just an open water beginner!”
“This is my very first time.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of the water.”
“Of the deep.”
“Of the dark.”
“I’m scared.”
“Here, take my hand.”
“Breathe slowly.”
“Reach out, hold my hand.”
On Diving
20 August 2018
Lembongan, Bali
To read more of my poems, visit A Season of Poetry in the shop. Your support means a lot to me!
What lies at the world’s end?
A vertical gigantic cliff?
A drop into nothing?
A dive into mysterious astral elements?
HEAVEN.
Will I see the faces of my loved ones again?
My Ema? My Engkong?
Oky?
Do I get to enjoy gold rivers, flowing
Happiness because I did my part for the greater good.
HELL.
Must I meet again those enemies of mine?
Will I rot in eternal suffering due to many, many sins?
Trust me, I have many.
(Many enemies, and many sins.)
What if…
It is simply a new morning.
A breeze of fresh mountain air.
The slight press of a hug
The starry tingle of a kiss
The memory of what was
Me
April 2021
