POEMS FROM MALAYSIA by Zurinah Hassan

STANDING  ON THE JETTY
I stand on the waterfront
Seeing them off one by one
Those boats
As they sail to the river of age
To the ocean of time
As I have said at the jetty
Be careful my children
May you anchor on the best land,
This is your only boat
Keep your sail afloat

Standing on the jetty
I told my children
The ocean is a challenge

MARRIAGE

-          one woman’s opinion

Marriage is the difficulty

Of changing routine and priorities

That makes you less yourself

And a woman has to be less herself

In order to be more a woman

Marriage to a woman

Is  a protection

For her who dares not live

on her own identity

It is too costly and too risky