Sosonjan A. Khan, BRUNEI

THANKS GOD

There are women who are not tired

To become a life watch

Despite living  a wretched life;

Some days they eat, some days hungry

And still believe 

faithful is heaven.

Thanks God, there still is a woman

Who can smile with just a handful of rice

and a bunch of vegetables 

you bring home

she immediately goes

to cook deliciously in the kitchen

so that everything is tasty

and you enjoy it.

Thanks God, there still is a woman

though her skin is rough

and her face is dull

sun burnt or wrapped by the soil

or hurt by the thorns,

by  the wilderness or by  the sea,

she still obeys accordingly,

serves wholeheartedly

only for you.

Thanks God, there still is a woman

although a thousand times 

you broke her heart

and broke your promises

though a thousand times 

her tears overflowed

she still wanted to stand by your side.

Thanks God, there still is a woman

though you never gave her

even a single gold piece or gems

even though not

a single flower on her birthday

although sometimes 

your pockets are empty

but only sand that you bring home

her love continues to soar

and not a little does it decrease.

Thanks God, there still is a woman

who wants to welcome

your stinking body

coated in the rice field

smeared by mud

she’s still waiting for you 

coming home

like a hero.

Thanks God,

there still is a woman

 MOTHER'S HAND

This is the hand that feeds milk

and porridge into your mouth

this is the hand that cleanses the dirt

and mud from your body

this is the hand that flushes water

and rubbing soap in your body

this is the hand that washes the urine

and cleans your back

this is the hand cleaning your

vomit and mucus from your fever

this is the hand that holds you

on a frightening night

or at a worst daylight

this is your hand that’s always held

walking along the long river

or climbing to the top of hills

this is the hand that lifts you

when you fall and roll

this is the hand that saved you

when you collapsed and fell

this is the hand

which rubbed both of your legs

until you could stand on the earth

this is the hand

that enables you to be brave to stand up to your opponents

this is the hand

that teaches you all the letters

until you reached the sky 

and understood the God

this is the old hand, rotten nail and bone

that with loyalty served you

 until the end of her breath.

Do not leave this hand

just because of a piece of cloth

which you can buy with money

Do not leave this hand

just because of a fragrant cloth

for it will disappear after being immersed

but this hand, even after being cut off

from this old body, still 

not even sword can break its love. 

Bow

hold and kiss this hand with your heart

because there is nothing more fragrant

than a lifted hand to God

Full of love, forever

to guarantee heaven

just for you!

Sosonjan A. Khan or Sutera Kalbu as her pen name was born in Tenom, Sabah and has been writing consistently for over 27 years, especially short stories, poems, novels and articles for newspapers. To date, over 485 poems, 575 short stories and articles have been mostly published in Mekar, Bahana, Sabah Times, Borneo Post, Pelita Brunei, Media Permata and others.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019