Long Southeast asia Poems
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Philippines, my country of birth,
one of the countries in Southeast Asia.
It is an archipelago or group of islands,
with more than seven thousand islands.
Luzon, the largest island in the northern
part of the country, is where I was born
and where Manila, the capital is located.
Manila, the city known as Pearl of the Orient.
Magellan, the Portuguese explorer for Spain
claimed the archipelago in fifteen hundred
twenty one, named the islands Las Felipinas
or The Philippines, after King Phillip II of Spain.
Philippines was colonized more than three
hundred years, from fifteen hundred sixty five
until eighteen hundred ninety eight and ruled
under Mexico-based Viceroyalty of New Spain.
Manila was called Pearl of the Orient Seas
by the historian/Jesuit priest Juan Jose Delgado
in seventeen hundred fifty one for being a way
of sea transactions during Asian trade of goods.
However, in Jose Rizal’s poem “My Last Farewell,”
he wrote before his execution by the Spanish
government for rebellion through his writings,
he stated his country as Pearl of the Orient.
So, Philippines, the country and not Manila,
the city became known as Pearl of the Orient,
upon the discovery of his poem after his execution
in December thirty, eighteen hundred ninety six.
Philippines is known as Pearl of the Orient for
its strategic location in Asia, rich biodiversity or
different kinds of plants and animals, natural
resources and its natural beauty and splendor.
The Spanish Crown called it Pearl of the Orient
for the country was a precious source of spices,
other resources and trade of goods, even prior to
their colonization to acquire a share in spice trade.
Philippines’ natural gem is south sea pearls
and it is renowned for cultivating south sea pearls.
The famous pearl in the country, known as The Pearl
of Lao Tzu, was considered the largest known pearl.
The pearl weighed fourteen pounds, found by a
Filipino diver in nineteen thirty four and later, a giant
pearl, the Pearl of Puerto weighing seventy five pounds,
found by a fisherman, both discovered in Palawan Island.
No doubt why The Philippines is called Pearl of the Orient,
the two biggest pearls were found in Palawan, Philippines.
Isn’t that the most obvious, sensible reason? I wonder……
Well, what do you think?...... Just asking……
L’octroi des droits à Jacky – Translation of Mudroroo Narogin’s « They Give Jacky Rights » by T. Wignesan
(Note : The first aboriginal writer to have achieved – according to Kevin Gilbert’s Inside Black Australia – international fame with his novel : Wild at Falling (1965) as runner-up for the Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize, in 1966, Colin Johnson who renounced his Christian names in 1988 for the aboriginal : Mudrooroo Narogin was born at Narogin in Western Australia in 1938. Educated at an orphanage, he was thereafter left to fend for himself on the streets of Melbourne. He has also travelled widely in Southeast Asia, Britain, the United States and India where he became a Buddhist monk for seven years. He is a published playwright, poet and novelist, and he co-authored : Before the Invasion : Aboriginal Life to 1788 (OUP, 1980) with Colin Bourke and Isobel White.) T. Wignesan, Paris, December 13, 2016.
On l’octroie des droits à Jacky
Comme le serpent tigre des droits à son proie:
On l’octroie des droits à Jacky,
Comme le droit d’une victime d’être visée d’un viseur de fusil.
On l’octroie des droits à Jacky
Comme on les donne à un bébé pas encore né
Arraché de l’utérus par une mère insouciante.
On l’octroie à Jacky le droit de mourir,
Le droit de consentir qu’on fonde des mines sur sa terre.
On l’octroie à Jacky le droit de regarder
Comment sa terre sacrée du Rêve (Dreaming) devient un trou –
Son âme meure, ses ancêtres pleurent;
Son âme meure, ses ancêtres pleurent:
On l’octroie à Jacky son droit –
D’avoir un trou sous le sol ?
La Justice pour tous, Jacky s’agenouille et prie,
La Justice pour tous, ils font des trous dans sa terre ;
La Justice pour tous, on lui accorde ses droits :
Une cruche du vin de table pour calmer sa douleur,
Et sa femme devait se prostituer pour ce cadeau.
La Justice pour tous, on lui octroie ses droits –
Un trou sous le sol pour y cacher sa méfiance et sa peur.
Qu’est-ce que Jacky peut se faire sinon continuer à lutter :
Les esprits de son Dreaming* lui rendent fort ?
• Dreaming/Alcheringa : The creation of the universe, the time known to most people as the Dreamtime or the Dreaming. (Oodgeroo, My People, 1990.)
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2016.
Down and Out in Saigon
Southeast Asia, and Mexico
has always attracted
A certain type of westerner
The down and out
On a down word spiral
Why?
Relatively cheap to live
Lots of part-time gigs
Teaching English
Or other things
Cheap Booze, drugs, sex
Readily available
Places to stay
Dirt cheap
And no one needs
To sleep outdoors
Easy to disappear
Into the foreigner's backpackers ghettos
And escape
From whatever you are running from
The locals are somewhat tolerant
The police usually look the other way
And there are lots of people
In your shoes
I was surprised to find
That Saigon has become
The latest place
For the down and outer crowd
In Bangkok, one sees them a lot
In Cambodia as well
In the Philippines
In Nepal
And south of the border
In Mexico as well
and Eastern Europe
and Latin America
In India not so much
In Japan and Korea
Just too damn expensive
And too cold to be outdoors
Back in the day
I used to work
The citizen services gig
And saw lots of the down and outer set
The old blues song
comes to mind
No one remembers you
When you are down and out
And in the States
Being down and out
Means living
on the mean streets
As it is very difficult
To live with almost no money
And the various side hustles
Don’t give you much money
Unless you are dealing drugs
And teaching ESL
Is not an option
other hustles are difficult
and begging gets one arrested
Food is expensive
Transportation is expensive
Booze and drugs expensive
Rent is prohibitive
Commercial sex is expensive
And no one loves you
If you are down and out
No one knows your name
You are just another
homeless bum
Invisible to all
As you try to make do
Much better to be down and out
In Southeast Asia
Than on the mean streets
Of the USA
At dinner, Zach asks
about our nation's history, wars.
I say We're taking on everyone, one at a time.
First Britain, then Britain again: "He was the surly English pluck, and
there is no tougher or truer, and never was, and never will be."
Next Mexico: "Death is indifferent to what hide he tans; life crushes men
like flies."
The War Between the States: "Well done, Mr. Cromartie. Time now
for rest."
Most of Latin America: "Not only humans longed for liberation. All
ecology groaned for it too. The revolution is also one of lakes,
rivers, trees, animals."
Then Southeast Asia: "The slight bump the mortars make as they kiss
the tube goodbye. Then the furious rain, a fist driving home the
message: Boy, you don't belong here."
Now the Middle East: "A land to be admired like all lands. Harsh
mountains and deserts, indigenous plants and people, adapted
ungulates, carnivorous mammals."
Can't forget the Krauts & Nips: "Then I heard the bomber call me in:
Little Friend, Little Friend, I got two engines on fire. Can you see
me, Little Friend?"
Nor the Commies: "You mixed up farewell to an epoch with the
beginning of a new one. I put this book here for you, who once
lived, so that you should visit us no more."
The original indigenous people say: "In time wexll become prosperous,
or else we'll become martyrs. The force that placed us here cannot
be trusted."
Hailed as “Pearl of the Orient Seas” is my country
God has blessed her with bounty so richly precious
Including a glorious, peculiar history…
That really makes me constantly freedom-conscious.
In Southeast Asia is where she's settled grandly
Possessing distinct culture she shares with neighbors;
Her heritage nurtured thru virtues lived by daily
Exposes me to good values as right armors.
With her triumphantly fought-for independence
Wrought by God’s sovereignty with people’s unity
Along heroes’ ardor, powered by love’s providence…
Now, I’m anchored by peace and justice-certainty.
By right governance, my country is doing well
Against evil society’s destructive attack
My fellow citizens’ great fortitude level
Helps me rise, as I, too, lift my pals at my back.
Midst challenges besetting my country’s courage
Despite crises and calamities she must face
Still, her residents stand resilient in every stage…
Thus, I do pray for her to prevail by God’s grace!
I thank God* for my good country and great nation,
This is where my identity is perfected...
“Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” My assertion!
“Long live the Philippines!” I declare, elated!
*Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
August 23, 2018
Edited on June 25, 2023
1st place, "If Your Birthplace-country was a poem" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Anoucheka Gangabissoon; judged on 7/8/2023
What does being Australian mean
It seems there’s no answer now that’s clean
There have been different people over years
That have come to the land some in tears
The First Australians walked onto the land
Through Southeast Asia in their plan
Were they pursued we don’t know
Perhaps the land put on a show
So these people made it their home
And there’s enough evidence for it to be known
We consider what happened next
Is where the question becomes perplexed
The British took the land by force then
As they were doing in other places seemingly without end
In an empire where the sun never sets
Money and power seemed heaven sent
So what of us now in our modern Australia way
When Empires and people faded away
We have apologised for wrong done to the First Nations
Whether some agreed with this oration
Does that now extend to Australia Day
Does the National Day now need to go away
The people of Australia have bled for this ground
Some making the ultimate sacrifice when wars come around
We have as much right to this land
And to celebrate Australia when it’s time in the plan
There are things in family histories that cut deep
But denigrating Australia will not make conciliation complete.
© Paul Warren Poetry
You’re hailed as “Pearl of the Orient Seas”
The Creator* has blessed you with rich endowments
Including a peculiar history, indeed great…
Making me thankful for making you the land of my birth.
In Southeast Asia is where you’re grandly settled
Possessing distinct culture you share with neighbors;
Your heritage nurtured through virtues lived by daily
Exposes me to good moral values.
With your triumphantly fought-for independence
Wrought by the Lord’s sovereignty with people’s unity
Along heroes’ ardor, powered by patriotism and love
I’m now anchored by peace, justice and freedom-might.
“Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!”** My assertive declaration!
“Long live the Philippines!” I shout with gratitude!
*Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
**The Tagalog words for "Long live the Philippines!"
December 24, 2019
2nd place, "Whitman-Inspired Uplifting Poetry, old or new" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Carolyn Devonshire; judged on 1/20/2020.
Limerick crochetés: Once Tamil Promotion Director
Once Tamil Promotion Director
Excised wise Japanese co-founder
Called him names like rogue thief
Set himself up as Chief
All Dravidian Tamil Editor
He posed as the Royal Ancestor
Even of the Chola* Emperor
Slave-drove workers in fief
Used savants make belief
Such the Tamil Highness Publisher
He caged talents the Money-Maker
Poised as Conference Organiser
Preyed on Buddhist belief
On Chan and Zen mischief
To lard his own family bunker
Ideas he plucked from the Other
Made as if he put up with bother
Tamils to lead as Chief
No matter what the grief
None see his pen as plagiariser
All helpers rough-rode he the Miser
Shed them shorn one after the other
Damn not this common thief
Just his penchant for Chief
For Tamil knowledge made he Server
[* The Chola dynasty (among other South-Indian reigns) of the 10th to 12th centuries C.E. extended Tamil culture and civilization over the better part of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia without having recourse primarily to conquests and/or of maintaining colonies.]
© T. Wignesan - Paris, 2017
Well I was just a young boy and turnin' eighteen,
Gettin' outta high school, back then was really keen,
Workin' here and workin' there, couple years or so,
Waitin' to hear from Uncle Sam, sayin' I gotta go,
I tried to join the Air Force, hearin' wasn't good,
Turned around, walked away, said I understood,
A year went by, workin' hard, havin' lotsa fun,
Greetings came from Uncle Sam, come on get a gun,
Well I had my own plans and Army wasn't it,
So I joined the Air Force, I'm not without wit,
Well a shootin' and a marchin', classes everyday,
Learnin' 'bout computers on so little pay,
Well orders came, goodbye states, gotta catch a flight,
Southeast Asia, here I come, get ready for a fight,
War is hell, the smell is bad, your stomache inside out,
Politicians lie, buddies die, what's it all about?
Economy's bad, money tight, whatcha gonna do?
Police action or a war, or maybe just a coup!
So support your politician, in their time of need,
Because they really need you --- to support their greed!
Form:
Limerick cochetés: Our great uhr-Father from Africa
Our great uhr-Father from Africa
Hallowed be Thy fame in high Valhalla
The Asian walk-about
Down backbone coccyx snout
Who didst Thou mate in Peninsula Malaya
To produce orangutan Malaysia
Did our great uhr-cousin Gorilla
Chimpanzee when in doubt
Precede Thy walk-about
Swinging from tree to tree to Australia
To judge by great life in Southeast Asia
Smoke-filled lungs from HAZE in Sumatra
Death penalty for tout
With drugs- Hell for khalwat*
Is there doubt who preceded whom from Africa
• khalwat: (a Muslim – all Malays - religious law)
According to which, no Malay may marry a non-Muslim nor be found in close proximity giving rise to suspicion of promiscuousness, law enforceable by religious courts whose officials are empowered to spy on offenders and report their activities to the relevant authorities
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2015