Dragonfly over koi fish waters,
The frog sits idle,
Storms ahead.
I drive through the jungle,
Emerge by the waters,
And leave the island.
I sit on top the boat
Hunched over railings,
Face to the wind.
Men pass Bintangs overhead,
Bottles return empty.
The smoke smells of yesterdays.
I listen for a language I understand
But cannot find one
In the loud rendition
Of my mother tongue.
I know only the ocean,
Speak in waves,
Tides at mercy to the moon.
My lungs burn a truth.
I hunger to roam wild
Like the island dogs –
Dirtied, uncollared,
Returning at dusk
Only
for a place
to rest.
Dear friends and readers, my apologies for my brief absence. I took a little holiday and returned quite ill, hence the silence.
This poem is a collection of things that stuck with me from my recent trip - the island dogs in particular. There were so many dogs running free, lying in doorways, and walking the streets. I asked a local if they were strays, and he explained that your dog goes out and does its thing as it pleases. At night, it will probably visit you again for a meal and to guard the home, but it’s always free to roam. Not fenced up, not collared. I just loved that.



deeply alive
Ah you went on the holiday! I hope it was great. I was in Thailand recently and had very similar experiences with doting over street dogs and cats.