Poetic Announcement!

Hello beautiful peeps!

Two very exciting poetry gigs are coming your way this July and they are organised by my fellow poetry peeps. I've decided to further scatter my muka berterabur and practise on my stage fright capabilities by performing at both events. But don't mind me, just come come and be merry!

EVENT ONE: OMG'S GIRLS OUT LOUD

(IT'S THAT TIME OF THE MONTH)

Project OMG! goes girly this month - all female performers belting out poetry and music, with the possibility of a man or two in drag.

Date: Sunday, July 19th, 2009
Time: 7.00pm - 11.00pm
Location: Food Foundry, Block B, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, PJ
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227216345787

Footnote:

They are still looking for performers. Could you be one of them? Email Patricia Low at nowhitespace@gmail.com

EVENT TWO: SAY GOODNIGHT, TWITTERVERSE

Not just any poetry night. Come watch as poets collaborate with musicians, sound artists, video artists, and dancers. Think of it as part jam session, part open mic.

Date: Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
Time: 10.00pm - 1.00am
Location: Cloth & Clef, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106297252037&ref=nf

Footnote:

My man Han is also on the prowl for performers or in his very own words: "I'm looking for poets interested in collaborating with dancers, video artists, sound artists and musicians." Got what it takes? Email Han at tshiunghan@gmail.com

Random Loves Part Empat: Tot Tot

As a major supporter of the dangerous art of procrastination (been doing this since high school, and could never really shake away from it), I've decided to spend a little bit of my time dedicating this post to my one and only feline companion i.e. Tot Tot. Now before you start wondering why his name is Tot Tot, it's actually short for his full name HRH Qittatul Tottenham Ibn Sarosh (I went a bit overboard)or affectionately known among the vets in Ampang Jaya as Tod. Anyway... here we go:

Why Tot Tot Is The Most Ossammess Cat Ever

He can help you with your work. Here he is, advising me about Post Colonial Theories.

He appreciates a good view. Here is his official hang out i.e. the balcony. View? KLCC.

He can look like one mean motherducker. Word.

He is also capable of looking very disturbingly cute. And he smiles too.

He's down with intense bling bling. Hear him rawrrr.

He can sleep like there's no tomorrow, prolly learned this from Sifu Sarah.

Fave Poem of the Day

I am salivating over this poem by Agha Shahid Ali, especially his use of a Sufi interpretation of Satan (Iblis) as being in love with God and thus becomes jealous when God asks him to bow to Adam. Illuminating. Enjoy.

A History of Hell

by Agha Shahid Ali

Hell, then! Pandemonium’s walls have diamonds.
We who lost our lovers on earth are welcome;
all are welcome, mirrored among the angels
lonely with pity.

Pity? Yes, for Heaven (To us what music,
we who trade in love) and for love’s first story:
God and Satan—Iblis,* first monotheist,
jealously guarding

God as only he could have known Him. “God’s so
lonely . . . else would He,” asks one fallen angel,
emphasizing lonely, “else would He, would He
punish man so? For

none of you can understand Him.” Sorry,
now for God, and full of such longing myself
while on Earth he’s missed in his ruined temples,
what can I do but

stare at sky-sized posters of God in mirrors?
Archived here, these stolen reflections, kisses
pressed on guarded tablets of Heaven’s chipped Word,
numbered and signed by

God—and him? “Please tell us,” the angels beg him.
Kiss and tell? Will that suit this devil-lover?
Framed in every mirror, now really smiling,
bevelled sapphire,

God to me is closer, he shrugs his shoulders,
than the jugular is to man, so even
now, bereft of love, I must guard God’s secrets.
Call it perverse or—

“—What?” the angels, taking their wings off lightly,
say. It’s simpler,” he interrupts, “it’s that . . . Well,
come and try”—he’s pouring some wine—“this vintage
aged here in cellars,

Heaven’s ruby. Under my wings I hid some
bottles just before I was pushed through exits,
breaking panes. What lovely reminder, this
wine, of that passion—

Heaven’s nights, His blood, then His flesh, my open
wings that tightly closed to again be opened . . .
Stop. I must. This hour, my Belovéd Tyrant
surely is weeping.”

Random Loves Part Tiga: Perhentian

Had a great island experience 2 weeks back and just want to share them with you. I havent been there in ages and so wasnt expecting much (memories can definitely exaggerate things) but when I got there, I knew exactly why I loved the islands in the first place! So yeah, this post is going to be all about...

Why Perhentian Island Rocks

The feeling that you're far from whatever that worries you when you see the island

The maddening clear blue water

Waiting for sunrise by the beach

Hiding from the sun by the beach

The emerald waters of Pulau Lang Tengah, 30 mins from Perhentian.

A hideaway within a hideaway :)

Fave Poem of the Day

Diary of a Wave Outside the Sea [The martyr couldn't believe his eyes]

by Dunya Mikhail
Translated by Elizabeth Winslow and Dunya Mikhail

The martyr couldn't believe his eyes
when his tomb was bombed
as he braided a garland for his beloved—
a red garland,
yet...on the way to heaven...
it turned white.
He bent toward the water with a small rainbow clutched in his hand.

In this way he makes music.
He lifts his hands to the clouds and braids her tears into a flower.
In this way he sings.

A wave breaking outside the sea.
In this way I go on.

I'm Shortlisted For Short+Sweet 2009! :)

Yay yay yay.

Unlike my previous attempts at writing scripts (procrastinate-yawn-scratch-forget script-repeat ordeal), I took my own sweet time with this one and managed to submit it earlier than the actual dateline (bangga bangga). And now, I've been informed by KLPAC "The Waiting Room" is in the 22 shortlisted accepted scripts for performance this August! Weee! I'm so excited.

Note to oneself: This is so not poetry but I really shouldn't be discriminating other genres, right right? :P Wish me luck!

(For more information on Short+Sweet 2009, click right here please)