Ramen

one day, I walked into a ramen shop.
a college student led me to a stall.
He told me a rule of the shop:
once I’m done with the bowl, stand tall,
and shout out a dream of mine to everyone.
it was then I noticed a smile on each patron.

the bowl was greesy and salty,
yet I slurped away readily,
racing to the end of my bowl.
once I saw the bottom of my bowl, I stool tall,
and everyone looked up from their table
for once, a silence filled the air so tasteful

and I told them all, what my dreams are.
I recall my dry mouth, searching for words,
painting a picture of a perfect world,
and I wondered, if it will come true as I hoped.

6.8.2023

Memory

I remember the four seasons in that house.
in the summer, I can see the dark blue sky
through a sun window tilted diagonally.
I’d lay on the bed, reading William Matthews.
in the fall, I can pick a dried brown leaf
of a chestnut tree & make a wish
for a magical season to begin.
in the winter, I can see the back yard,
now piling up with thick, soft snow,
through kitchen window
as I wash bowls that had dumpling soups.
in the spring, I would stare at sunset,
glistening in a silent glorious opera
through budding green tree leaves
as I finish packing boxes.
the squeaking sound of wooden floors,
the table of vynil record player,
and the bottle of wine.
I remember the scent of the moment.

5.12.2023

Comfort

I vividly recall
I was visiting a house
next to the house
I had loved so much.
wooden walls surrounded
a small back yard,
a hammock between old grand trees
and a wooden table in the middle.
soft breeze blew
Glistening sunlight trickled
through diamonds of tree leaves.
even though this was a dream
from my memory almost 10 years ago,
I am delighted it is with me now
for it was one of the happiest moment
I had lived.

5.11.2023

New

perhaps now is the time.
I feel pain in the head
and the heart feels rather numb.
I no longer feel the excitement
when I win a match;
only vainglory remains.
but this is a murky ground.
your friends, colleagues, and mentors
holds on to you.
to say no to all of that
and to take a leap
takes a fiery courage
to walk a blazing trail.
let us hold our head high.
let us prevail.

5.8.2023

Cloud candy

I smoked a cigarettes for the first time
in almost 10 years
in my dream.
it felt so real
I had to remember
the dryness in my mouth
is not the nicotine tar
but unwashed icecream from night before.
let us not let our guard down
to the “one-offs”
let us stay awake
and walk up this hill
towards the threshold
where all efforts will prevail.

4.30.2023

Star

it’s a dream, in a way, you know,
no matter what may be going on around you,
you keep staring at the star in the dark night.
in the top floor of a high rise,
through window bars of a basement,
in the middle of cemetery,
or amongst ocean of people at a party,
you keep staring at the star in the dark night.
it’s okay if you lose the ground
it’s okay if the tower falls down.
keep staring at the star
and make a wish upon it from your heart.

4.19.2023