back to nature

those were the days
he lived in the city
played musical chair in his office
juggled between work and daily shadow boxing

those were the days
promises were wishy-washi
gradually
board meetings became bored meetings

he realized
he had been taken for a ride
undoubtedly
he sensed fatigue, rather frequently

while the days were still sunny
& before he became the soup of the day
he realized that his women, song & wine life style
was simply not the way

he then escaped from his towering office
drove, very slowly
this time,
to return back to nature

now walking on greener pastures
catching butterflies
& living a new lease of life
from nine to five & five to nine

where water flows
admist the spurts & sprouts
quietly, he shouts:
tea for you & tea for me

by the sea
he submits & sips more tea
tea...
now tastes sweeter than wine you see

new lease if life, he starts
he looks at himself like flower buds flower buds
his buddies?

no more pride
like flower buds,
he takes of on new flights
in search of excellence

he aspires,
subscribes to endurance tests
& manages fitness programs
with new levels of tolerance

hopefully, his new eyesight
will allow him
to scale to new heights
'tis pulling my legs during high tides!

he matures
by stepping closer to nature
he doesn't want to be disturbed
for sure

he now thinks
that even the best football match
is not as intriguing as looking
at many running turtles

he is really out of touch
he wonders about silly things like:
the frog or his sports car
who is faster?

while having lunch
he amuses himself
by having a conversation with fellow creatures
to keep in touch

these days
even listening to the frog croaking
in the still darkness, is a gift from nature
great minds think alike?


he plunges into the deep blue sea
"can you recognise me?", he murmurs
he, the intruder
explores & pries
evesdrops & listen to sweet nothings
like "can you see me?"
& "can I see you?"
from the courting turtles

honestly, he should have known better
three is a crowd, he's really an outsider
he's out of focus!, I wonder?
or perhaps, he has found a niche?

sitting on his easi-chair
he looks at his elegantly poised friend
thinking that he's now a frog outside the well?!
sweet smell of success, he savors

ready for take off?
don't be shy...

Lin Hsin Hsin
May 3, 1992