Dwi Bahasa

Annie, the orphan...
Your children were cruel
I'm sad your husband past away too
soon... but you were still
asmiling always;
as much as you missed him
deeply, uttering Tiong Hua prayers
as if his angel still lingered

What a happy laugh! through
those heavy false teeth
set in skyward cheeks. You
would make my day
on our lunch dates--which
always tasted bland on your palette,
no matter how spicy ("kurang enak")--with your stories of Indonesia
at the turn of last century, your
brother's cinema and your uncle's
gold store...graces
of God in times of war

I wouldn't have learnt Bahasa
if it weren't for
you, even though you'd
sometimes
break off into the language of
those 'elite' bule I didn't understand:
"kurang ajar" hahaha

and repeat
yourself frequently until you forgot
your stories; and forgot
your sorrows; and forgot
me, like a baby.  .  . innocently

I am so blessed  of your time,
our trip to Hong Kong,
your letters, and that
bookcase which inspires me still
to become ajar and not take
this fleeting life for granted.

Terimah kasih Tente
(Nenek in my heart)