September musings

A tree clothed in half green, half orange.  Morning sun is muted yellow, as leaves start to fall on field of green and purple wild flowers.   The colors of September are myriad and signals the changing season from long summer days to cooler afternoons.  The sunsets are coming earlier, instead of 9pm, often bringing rains at night.  Amidst faded summer petals, my hardy roses are blooming anew, as if on the second spring. And all because of the evening rain.   

At the home front, I am almost 1/3 empty nest.  Though my youngest is starting university tomorrow, she will be staying home as we live at the border of Toronto City.   She has new laptop, bags, shoes and clothes.  Though she revels in her new surroundings, she is not ready to live on her own, unlike her two older brothers.  She loves the comforts of home cooked meals and nice room.  I am mindful to keep a balance - giving her independence, while widening her boundaries. 

fallen green apples 
litter the rain-soaked ground-
grey-tailed birds perch, swishing-

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Haibun Monday hosted by Kanzensakura ~  Please join us when the pub doors open at 3pm ~ 

1 September 1983

sky is a fuse
after long funeral march
from dawn to night

i didn't see the flag-draped coffin
only sea of sun-burnt faces
2 million crowding the narrow streets
to give homage to the fallen man-

his clothes still bloodied
his face unclean from gunshot
that spilled his guts on airport tarmac

i learned for the first time
that a country was worth dying for
that a murdered man can change the course of history

unbroken for 20 years
martial law by a strongman & his family
living in palatial homes when more than 
half of the nation squatted by dirty rivers-

too soon,
hush of the night is over,
sun is brittle egg yoke
rising above smog, burning our weary eyes 

i asked my parents what's coming-
they said,
change, the hopeful winds 
of change

the radio crackles with a voice-
its the only radio station fearlessly
reporting the real news-

we take a deep breath
& wait-

Sulfar

Posted for Imaginary Garden for Real Toads - Sunday's Mini-Challenge:  September Sky
& Artistic Interpretations with Margaret - Mineral Rainbow
& Poets United

My reflections after the assassination of Senator Benigno Acquino in August 21, 1983, which triggered the downfall of the dictatorship of President Marcos, Philippines.   I recall the long funeral march on August 31, and afterwards the changes that slowly came - protest marches, election struggle, civilian heroism versus the military-backed dictatorship.

Yellow was the color of protest (from a homecoming color) in those times.