Oriole Songs (1) by Kong Shiu Loon
Weather Foretold
I remember mother showed me the heavenly signs
That foretell the weather following from behind
We watched a clear sky atop distant hills
Through a sea of golden rice all fields filled
It was in November in late evening
Before darkness enveloped everything
A white flash gave light to a dark gray sky
More appeared one after another low and high
Flashes in the east means a sunny day tomorrow
Flashes in the west will bring continuous rain
Flashes in the south heavy dews will follow
Flashes in the north strong winds will reign
We were seeing flashes in the north that evening
Everyone busily harvested the ripened rice in the morning
Gusts of northern winds kept the farmers reaping in haste
Else the bumper crop would be blown some grains fell to waste
Seventy years now from the day Mother sang that song
I have tested its predictive accuracy on and on
How I marvel the old wisdom its power to guide life
Even when no science awards help to augment the pride
My Sandy River
Meandering through shiny paddy fields and olive trees
Wanders my sandy river green and carefree
In her washed bed pink sands rest leisurely
Following her murmuring flow I wade and sing joyfully
Where she reaches a pond shrimps and fishes thrive
I spend my days trying to catch them avoiding the flies
And when summer brings in the burning sun
Me and my chumps find solace swimming in her run
As the day ends accompanied by melancholic music tunes
We run home carrying joy and catches not a moment too soon
Dreams
I dream flying past the morning star
To reach hills and valleys where’re
When time sat still in pondering space
Where territories extend in unlimited ways
I am the master of free travels
In body and soul in rivers knowing no shallow
Where my mind roams carried by wisdom of old
Pitching no camp to muse over messages told
I meet Chu Yuen and Muse on my way to intellectual market
Not to drop dromedaries but to pilgrim on creative heads
Whence I cry out ‘tis to hurry the caravan to gain speed
To leave the morning star behind to go on a free spree
And when a dream ends ordered by the morning sun
There is no worry its contents have gone and run
Wasted in rapid eye movements and wishes untold
Dreams are the nurtures of mind and soul behold
Songs
When I was little I love to listen to songs
Sung by my mother or anyone who came along
I knew not tunes or poets’ thoughts
Just what was pleasing words gently brought
The moon shines the moon bright
Her beams and gleams light up not only the sky
But all else in the universe
And the little boy’s heart to be nurtured
The moon shines till New Years Eve
Her brightness continues in all ensuing eves
Where songs go the moon has more stories to tell
Than comets carrying omens occasionally fell
As I grow old I find songs no longer free
Not for love nor for dreams to be
Poets still sing with heart-rending airs
What I hear is not the moon songs I so much cared
Reasons and Justice
Imagination is driven by emotion more than intellect
The richer the emotion the wilder it gets
Reasons and logic vanish driven by time
Warm feelings remain with the hearts in rhyme
With the passion and hot blood of youth I once hold
Of love and blind dedication crossed long ago
My reasons cried loud and rocked to and fro
To end up in riddles of life deeds punishable
What virtues books say I have no use at old age
Nor slogans shouted in crowds or on the printed page
I know injustice when it is shown or in disguise
To fairness like a creek its high source I admire