Rainbow

By Hank Kaykuala

This book is a compilation of his writings mainly for the years 2008 till 2012. It comprises various forms of poetry and some prose. Hank sourced and downloaded his own pictures or from friends and did his own sketch and drawings to accompany some postings. Some of the sketches are from Norman’s, his grandson.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReadOnTime BV
• Release date: Nov 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781742843889

Book preview

Rainbow

Contemporary Poetry and Prose

Hank Kaykuala

Rainbow

Copyright © 2014 Hank Kaykuala

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Smashwords Edition

The information, views, opinions and visuals expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the publisher. The publisher disclaims any liabilities or responsibilities whatsoever for any damages, libel or liabilities arising directly or indirectly from the contents of this publication.

A copy of this publication can be found in the National Library of Australia.

ISBN:  978-1-742843-88-9 (pbk.)

Published by Book Pal

www.bookpal.com.au

This book is dedicated to my loving wife, Shadah, my children Azlin, Hafidz, Azhar and their respective families, Norman, Kimie, Qaty, Nabil, Ayesha and little Naqip. They are the inspiration for many of the postings in Rainbow

Acknowledgement

Rainbow is a compilation of postings of poetry and prose from my blog of the same name from Dec 2010. I had earlier started blogging through birdhouse with writings in prose form in June 2008. I had then worked up a passion for writing and wished to expand my wings into the technicalities of poetry. The opportunity came in the person of Pakcik Hassan. Pakcik encouraged me and got me in touch with eminent author and poet, Ninotaziz who led me by the hand initially. That was how my poetry blog Rainbow came into being. Their counsel and sincerity are gratefully acknowledged for which I’m forever indebted.

I wish to thank my family for their patience, tolerance and support in helping me to remember events and places in the course of my writings through the years. My thanks are also extended to my friends who keep me company, namely, eminent author and poet Akhi Norzah, abdulhalimshah and Zam.

Last but not least to Terence and his team for their untiring efforts in making Rainbow a reality.

Contents

Part 1. Free Verse

The Little Bird

Remembering Kashmir

The Frame - Life′s Challenge

The Tsunami

10-10-10

Auntie Jane′s Unfinished Story

I’m in a Quandary

I’m King And I’m Lonely!

Queen of My Life

The Current Cold Spell

The Eagle

The Mistletoe

The Old Bloke with the Cloak

Urban Adventurer

We lead the World

What′s Wrong, People!

A Human Form

Chocolates

Danger

Evils of Poverty

Grass

I′m Single, Let′s Sizzle!

In the Christmas Spirit

Knowledge Abound

La Tour Eiffel

Lust Shatters

Let the Music Play!

My Luck′s Waning

On Your Feet

One Winged Wonder

A Starlet

Superstitions Still Hold True

Water

A Dream

Geni.com - A Family Tree

A Saviour

An Icon - Dean

Anti-Social

Apple

Awaiting...and Hoping

Bridge

Building a Future

Experience

Friendship

Nights of Love

Rivers

Strange

A Temptation

The Female Tiger

Train Travel

War Time Prison Camp

A New Father

Betrayed

Brian

Elvis - Idioms

Golf

Happiest Place on Earth

King!

Protests

The School Holidays Again

Texting Experience at its Best!

The Human Kind

Whodunit!

Yul Brynner

Colorful Start

Is it True?

Peanuts

Rain

The Republican

Time Stood Still

Unruly Assembly

A Martian Came to Town

An Awakening

Life′s Directions

Longings

Soups

The Lady is Fair Game

Yes!

A Handler

A Jam

A New Beginning

A River

A Wish

At The Front

Barren

Debt Crisis

Dementia

Gauguin′s World

Grossly or Grotesquely

He’s Back

KidZania

Neighbors

Public Office

Sentimental Me

Technology

The Longings

Muay Thai

Time

A Golden Retriever

Confusion

Curtains

Daydreaming

Infinity

Oops!

Poetry

Symbolism

The Champions

A Dinner That Wasn′t

A Moment in Time

A Novel

An Honor Fulfilled

Art

Artists, Poets and Philosophers

Crash!

Harmony

It′s Not Summer

Jungle Green

Kitty

Salvador Dali

Shell

Stripes

Red Okra

The Sporting Spirit

Breakfast

Cherry Souffle

Claustrophobia

Cumulonimbus

Deprived

First and Second Childhood

First Born

A Flying Machine

Lemang

Life′s Good

Nature

Norman

Oblivious of the Wet

A Sabbatical

Shadows

Solitude

Wax

Year End Sales

Young Minds

A Lone Survivor

Anti-War

Appreciation

Hibiscus

I Am A Lady

Mona Lisa

Part 2. Haiku

A Hot Bright Day

A Lizard

A Nesting Bird

The Destitutes

Tamu

Thankfulness

The Magic Wand

The Smog

The Trophy

The Wondrous Twin Towers

An Apple

Benchmark

Distance

A Lover′s Tiff

Hot Capsicum

It′s Magic!

Kiss of Life

Light of Day

Man and Woman

So It is!

Striving harder

The Handyman

The Silent Movies

Towards

What happened?

Wind-Struck

A Fulfilment

A Virtue

Arowana

Bewilderment

High Speed Boat Ride

Looks Can be Deceiving!

Migration

Not Impossible

Shooting Practice

Static Aging

The Champ

The Cold Winter

The Phoenix

Aloe Vera

Angling

Check!

Dilemma

Discarded

Hot Meals

Jambu

Left Hand

Norma Jean

Political Tsunami

Procrastination

Warmness

Yuletide Cheer!

A Japanese Fare

A River Crossing

Belimbing

Brastagi

Childhood

Desire

Endurance

Eyes Can Kill

Having the Blues

Inspiring Writer

Partners (Hippos Piranhas and Crocs)

Rage

Rough Diamonds

Star fruit

Tsunami

Alive

An Iconic Being

Clarity

Coherent

Doubt

Forgive

Hope

Hour

Mesmerized

Nesting Nerd

News

Planking

Raindrops

Renovation

Rugged

Serendipity

Temptation

The Wild Ones

Vampire

Warmth

Waves

Wonder

Zest

15 Seconds!

Blessed

Buttons

Choice

Compromise

Imagination!

Joy of Sharing

Life

Mask

Political Support

Research

RPB

Self Imposed Exile

Sunflowers

What’s a Frog?

Balance

Butterfly

Chubby

Creation

Current Feel

Divine

Happiness

Heat

Horrors

Human Conflicts

Laughter!

Loneliness

Revelation

Shortcuts

Signs of Autumn

Stars

Talent

Warmth of Nights

Wind Chimes

Your Rights!

Andy

Fences

Footprints

Frustrated

Hummingbirds

Island

Rainbow

Self Portrait

Sleep

Smiles

Tears

Tomato

Plovers And Sandpipers

Bali

Blue

Flying

Make Amends

Rich and Poor

Rose

School Holidays

Storm

Target Practice

Wrestling

Part 3. Limericks

Part 4. Micro Fiction

Part 5. Prose

50 Years After – Reunion

Felda LBJ

Hats Off to Jins!

Malacca and the ‘Eye on Malaysia’

Nights of Dancing Togetherness

Serina – The Darling Daughter of Chef Wan

What’s in a Name!

The American Idol … and then there were two…

Annual Camp 1961 - Cameron Highlands Revisited

Capt.(later Col) Jim Bradley, Company Commander of G Coy

‘Congratulations, Datin Chom, on Your Latest Book!’

How Safe is it?

Kelantan River Expedition

Love is Blind, How True It Is!

‘Many Happy Returns of the Day’, Honey Dear!

Port Dickson Revisited - The Submarine Island

The Year After And The Sovereign’s Parade 1961

The Perak River Expedition

Annual Camp 1963

Dr Andy,Dr Farah and Baby Danny makes 3

A Frighteningly Quick Dash and A Wonderful Bundle Of Joy

Part 6. Forms for All

A Cameo - Whassup!

A Couplet - Resolutions

A Ghazal - Tenacity

A Huitain - Olympics

A Kyrielle - Parting

A Pantoum - A Scheme

A Sonnet - Bride-to-be

Tetractys - Autumn Chills

A Tetractys - Discipline

A Tetractys - Rebel (just a fictitious/fictional dialogue)

A Triolet - Wickedly Blessed

An Anacreontic - A Split Cycle

An Anaphora - Gone!

An Englyn - Nightingale

Introduction

My blogging days in Rainbow started with my responses to prompts from other poets who dedicated themselves to creating prompts on a regular basis. Invariably one can write a poem everyday as there are always prompts to goad us on. In no time the numbers built up ready to be compiled into a book. The postings in Rainbow are mainly for the years 2008 till 2012.

The writings are organized into 6 parts according to their forms. A major portion is in the form of Free Verse and Haiku. Then Limericks, Micro Fiction and Prose follow but these are of a lesser number . The last part grouped under Forms for All are the rare ones of various forms but of a few postings.

Many have notations of images but there are no images. The images are there in the blog postings but deleted in the book for want of space. All pictures are either from Hank’s collection or sourced from family members and friends. There are no images downloaded from the internet. All sketches and drawings are done by Hank himself or from Norman’s.

There is also a notation on prompts at the bottom of the page for some and none for others. Poets do not normally explain the context of situation. Poets write from what they know and experience from an episode. In blogosphere one can google for names and places to get the background knowledge. In Rainbow the notations help to put some light into the background of the poems. There are no notations if they are straightforward cases.

Part 1

Free Verse

Free verse is an open form. It is one that is close to normal speech. It is prose written rich in imagery and broken up with line breaks instead of punctuations and paragraphing. There is a tendency in contemporary poetry to use shorter lines

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2010

The Little Bird

Image 1: The mother bird perched on the branch and the baby bird clamoring with beaks open

Image 2: The mother bird came back again this time with what looked like a cherry

Process Notes

This is an actual drama which happened in front of my eyes. I had it posted as a prose but later I decided to turn the prose into poetry. 

My understanding of poetry initially was that the rhymes at the end of each line must be maintained. So this poem has that traditional trademark. It dawned on me later that this is not so.

The Prose

Birds had always fascinated me. Nothing prepared me to what happened this morning though (June 01, 2010). It was a rare occurrence, a rare opportunity. I had a chance to snap pictures of a mother bird feeding its young all at my front porch.

I’ve been told there’s a bird’s nest just outside the house. It was pointed out to me a few days ago but I didn’t give it much attention. It looked empty anyway. However, this morning my domestic helper called out to me excitedly, ‘ Bapak, ada burung! (translation: Sir. there′s a bird)

I rushed down to the lounge and had a glimpse of it before it flew out again. I then rushed back to get my camera and stood at a strategic corner where I could see the nest and waited. I waited for the better of 15 mins or so before I heard the chirping sound of the bird again. It grew louder and it suddenly jumped into sight. I froze, careful not to reveal my presence. I had never stood still, upright and quiet this morning (not since those days on the parade grounds back at the College) It was painstakingly a stiff-neck posture holding the camera with unsteady hands.

It jumped about but still not nearer to its nest, apparently to make sure the coast was clear. Then suddenly it jumped into my camera’s sight and I just clicked and clicked. This happened for quite some while, it bringing little titbits for the baby bird and I snapping every so often.

The Poetry

What a stroke of good fortune

I’d not with such luck be blessed?

One morning, 2010, the 1st of June

A little baby bird stirred in a nest

Not unlike a flower in bloom

As on a silver platter it dropped

There in front of the living room

A drama unfurled, unrehearsed sans props

Our Indon helper had spied movements

She just couldn’t believe her eyes

In a nest that appeared unwittingly dormant

A baby bird suddenly comes alive

She rushed to tell me, ‘Bapak, ada burung!

A little amused, I thought she’d turned randy

But, lo! In all innocence, she wasn’t wrong

A baby bird right in front of my eyes to see.

My turn it was now to rush, and praying hard

From a vantage position behind the curtains, I hid

Still as the night, and stiff as the palace guard

I stood, camera at the ready, quietly for my first bid

Pray be, mother bird come back to roost to thy nest

I’m waiting, I’m waiting, had never been into bird-watching

But favor me, fly in, on your crown that upright crest

Just swoop in, pray be, my camera will be clicking

What do you know, my prayers were answered

Not once, not twice but that many that I had hoped

‘twas click, click, click, click, was I flustered?

No, a better part of the hour, my patience aptly rewarded

Mother bird, swooped in, a tiny insect in its beak

On a tiny branch it perched, just above the nest

Baby bird, neck stretching, beak wide open ever so quick

So hungry and impatient, it gobbled and chomped at nature’s best

I waited again the morning after and hoping for more

Mother bird never did appear and true to form

Unlike the swallows that are faithfully back to Capistrano

The baby bird flew off a few days after never to return

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010

Remembering Kashmir

There′s a place tucked away in the mountains far north. It is to be seen to be appreciated. I was there for a week way back years ago. The serenity of undisturbed nature was just overwhelming. It brought back fond memories to inspire this!

Much maligned, holiday blues

What am I in for?

Lead me, morning dews

Droplets shining , pierced by the Sun

Show me more!

Rivulets of clear streams

Gushing down the mountain side

in the Kashmiri landscape

Say, am I dreaming?

No, say no more

A story with no ending

Fly onwards to, Gulmarg and Pahalgam

Bring me back the flowers, the blue sky, 

the snow, gushing streams crystal clear

of lovely maidens, and rosy cheeks

of house-boats and Dal Lake 

Kashmir, I remember thee once of yesteryear

Undisturbed, decidedly picturesque, untouched ,

yearnings beyond, 

markedly wishing

for Srinagar again beckons!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010

The Frame - Life′s Challenge

A jaundiced view

 through glassy eyes

My intentions fulfilled I remained calm

Prying, groping, wondering, wherever it lies

Have I realized now how was it done?

No, my mind’s filled with life’s problems

Endlessly trying to alter the mode

Needless to assume it’s such a burden

A damper to all efforts to lighten the load

A lost soul wrought with trying times

Can I expect solace wherever that be

Must I venture through without a dime

And picture good times most readily

Yes, I must, none who owes me a living

Made up my mind, will not be glum

The whole wide world is always forgiving

I’ll work my ways forward, I would have won!

Prompt: A picture prompt of a wooden picture frame lying on the ground

FRIDAY OCTOBER 29, 2010

The Tsunami

It suddenly dropped without warning

Unsecure and teetering precariously

Adorning the bare wall

I spied the mirror earlier

Was it a bad omen?

Shouts of joy and laughter of children

on the beach could not alleviate the pain of seeing

a present received from a loved one

On the floor smashed to smithereens

What with it, it suddenly did not seem right.

It was deathly quiet, seemed utterly strange

The chirping of the birds suddenly stopped

Restlessness, animals moving in circles

Initially, relieved that frolicking children

were enjoying the sun on the beach but not realizing

Of imminent danger, unfolding

The calmness of the sea was disturbing

Strangely enough it suddenly turned quiet

As an empty concert hall devoid of performance

The air of silence permeated the surroundings

Pull away the curtains!

This was not the time to laze in bed

The sun already up high in the sky

Get up! You’d be late

Wham! How suddenly it happened

Caught unguarded, unprepared, unaware

Walls of water six meters high, lashing outside, swirling,

it cruelly tore me out of bed

Wrenched out rudely

Tsunami!

Thrust among the debris unceremoniously

Raging torrents inundated the surroundings

Flattening, shoving, pushing racing amongst them

Men, women, children sans laughter, nor screaming

Animals scurrying, baying

In a whirlpool I was thrown in, frantically grabbing

A log, heaven sent, toppling and tumbling

Hold on to dear life, hold on tight

It seemed ages, I passed out astride

Oblivious of time

The angels above were kind.

I opened my eyes, I was full of grime

Destruction of mankind

Of untold proportions

Wanton loss of lives were common

Providence was overly protective

Of my battered soul and limbs

Of tsunami, a victim

Prompt: A picture prompt showing a mirror lying shattered on the floor

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2010

10-10-10

A Perfect 10 - It′s a 100 year cycle and definitely it′s a once in a lifetime affair for all of us.

The Crowded Hall of Newly Weds - The couples took the opportunity of getting married simultaneously on 10-10-10. They must have waited in anticipation years ahead. 

Our Astronaut and Wife - Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Datin Dr Harlina. How elegant they look. They also waited to be married on 10-10-10

10.10 An Extract from Jaafar′s Facebook - I wish to take this opportunity to wish my kid brother Jaafar, ′Happy Birthday′ - on this Very Special Day on 10-10-10 this year.

Message To Adinda Jaafar - I can still remember seeing you for the first time when our Allahyarhamah Bonda gave birth to you on Oct 10, 1958. I cannot remember when exactly you arrived but I saw you briefly when I came back from school. You were all nicely and warmly wrapped up. I bent down to say ′cak′ but I was prevented from planting a kiss on your cheeks as I was all sweaty. Remember?

10-10-10 a day perceived as auspicious

Some aren’t taken up but some it did matter

Exchanging marriage vows seemed obvious

Blissful and they lived ‘ happily ever after’

Occurs every 100 years nary just one while

Couples get hitched in mass ceremonies

Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar did it in style

Invited all his 100 astronaut buddies

Collapse of the Qing Dynasty of Pu-Yi

Arising from the revolution in Wuchang 

Despite a Republic in 1912, 01 January

The National Day still falls on Double Ten 

And incidentally nearer home, take a look!

My brother Jaafar in that select group too

His Birthday on Oct 10, 1958 in his Facebook

An uncanny coincidence, yes, but it is true!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Auntie Jane′s Unfinished Story

It’s creepy. It’s eerie

It’s full of knick knacks

Throwaways most of them

Auntie Jane was such a darling

‘none to be disposed of, you hear me’?

Was it an order or a desperate plea

Never had the chance to know for sure

She passed on and nobody dared

and nobody tried

The old tennis racket, its guts snapped

The broken frame stood its ground

Uncle Joe’s tool box, atop his soiled overalls, smeared

Nothing’s changed, nothing’s disturbed

John, had not ventured in for decades

He did not want to be surprised at finding something weird

Alice his sister though closer to their mother was all jitters talking about it

‘I want to see what’s in there but dear mother stopped us’

Was it a mere excuse or was it untold fright

Heard say there were skeletons inside

Long ago Uncle Joe’s farm-hand, Jack , apparently defied the odds

The moment he stepped in he threw up gave

a loud squeal and dead he dropped

Thereafter, no one dared venture in

It was left, dark, drab, and cold within

But I’m one not fearful of ghosts though , I’m just curious

What’s inside I must see, yes , the day is today

Not a second longer, it is now

‘Hear ye apparitions, I’m coming in, I’ve made a vow

Neither hell, fire nor high water is going to stop me’

I’ve made up my mind come what may

This is it, I’m slowly making my way,

Up the rickety