Of Poems after Hao An
A visit to Hao An
Seeing cyclos running the streets
And markets bustling with tourists
Old houses trying to well maintained
To appease the eyes of visiting guests
Coffee mixed with coconut milk keeps me awake
Enough for me to walk on its ancient way
And hear the incantations on the village temple
Whose newly-lit joss sticks fill the hall with sacred air
Followed by the laughter of the white skinned tourists
With the tune of today's pop music played
While waiting for a sumptuous dinner of steak
In the middle of the noise-filled night
The town fills with various lights
Enough to compliment the ancient sight
Authentically beautiful the place it is
As it fills everything with life
A life that ain't scripted like Disney's
Enough to grant wishes that never missed
Beach
The breeze of the sea is enough to ease
The tiresome me that needs to cease
From the pressures of life and work
That sometimes made me ask is it worth?
Seeing the waves, of flowing waters
Of people enjoying after week's pressure
The saltwater that counters the heat
Brings love as to recall someone I met
Strange that her beauty keeps on recalling my mind
Even at the waters where I wade as if her embrace have to find
The sound of the waves as if kept calling my name
Is it to inspire me to make this poem after enduring pain?
To cut the thought short,
the beauty of the beach doesn't need to be idyllic
As opposed on the other where leaders
whose design they've wanted deemed pathetic
Inside Hao An's temple
The scent of joss sticks continues to linger
As outsiders from neighbouring towns enter
The sacred hall as afternoon ends
With electric lights turned on in every lampstand
Every stick be lit for the deities
And seeing the murals to recall sacred mysteries
So are the departed now bestowed by grace
From the deities who gave them impassioned embrace
Lets celebrate the heavens and the waters
And the land we trod and the fire that's power
Bringing life to the people and to the nation
Whose strength comes from its will and passion
St. Paddy's day Before the temple near the night market
The scent of joss sticks perfumed the sacred hall
And the incantations and prayers sung aloud
All to commemorate their families and friends
If not the martyrs, heroes of the land
May the Jewel of the Lotus guide in our way
So as not to lead themselves astray
To reach to that promised luck and grace
And for the souls to heaven that promised place
Enjoying the walks despite tiring soles
Enough to satisfy an old soul
Seeing various coloured lights
Trying to shed darkness in that early night
The music played and the flow of beer
Enough to call for a heartfelt cheer
From various lands Erin's call raised
In memory of Pádraig whose name be praised