What I saw in the rainforest (NaPoWriMo #25)

Found on Pinterest on the board "beautiful nature" by Sarah Ulhaas

In the greenest of jungles I saw a plethora of feathered, furry, scaly creatures,
With rainbow coloured, poison spewing, gravity defying features.

Almost magical stunts I saw when walking the rainforest without a rush.
Secret superpowers of every animal hidden within the brush.

Thin rays of sun stream through dense, entangled canopies shining tiny spotlights.
I saw flower faces unfurling and shiny beetles hooked in fights.

From the sky it is endless emerald framed by deep blue seas that glisten.
I saw a sea of bark and leaves, waves stretched over a nation whose voice is heard if you only listen.

And looking closely I saw little patches in nature’s elaborate quilts.
Edges of barren palm trees where the forest vines slowly wilt.

There are little surprises beneath the sand, under trees of coconut.
I saw the growth of ‘progress’, which I fear is anything but.

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The prompt was to write with anaphora, a repeated phrase, in this case the simple “I saw.” Whenever I think about the damage that has been done to rainforests and that is still occurring today, I feel so ashamed of the human race. It is so sad to think of the diversity and history that we have lost in order to harvest some more oil or lumber or whatever to fuel our money – based society. I do think the mentality that progress is making more money is what is causing the sustainability dilemnas we are finding ourselves in. Anyway, I won’t write more on this here, but possibly in the future.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

A single bazaar booth

Much bigger and sunnier than what I’ve written.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/481111172662500062/

In the dampened smell of barbecue leaking
out the Chinese restaurant door
The little woman sits in a booth under
four oversized umbrellas
Gathering mannequin hangers as mother asks,
“How much for this shirt?”

“Usually 20, but I’m closing now, so have it for 10.”
She speaks Mandarin.
Mom nods for the purchase as the roar of clouds echoes down the street
The lady folds the elegant beaded garment, smiles, hands us a plastic bag

We say thanks and turn around
Rain pours down.

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Life is hard, I realize that regardless of our evolution into society, it will always be a survival of the fittest. We work to live and we live to work, but we musn’t forget to be generous and kind to each other because those moments are what we remember through time.

Happy birthday to my mother who never turns a year older!

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Balzac and The Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie: Book Review

Two boys are sent to rural China to be reeducated during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. There they discover a suitcase of banned foreign books and befriend the beautiful daughter of the local tailor. That’s it in a nutshell. A charming novel that is easy to read but may be too short and simple to hold much weight in time.

The story reminds me of a folk tale with a fair amount of whimsy in the narrator’s voice and the setting of the countryside and mountains that creates some beautiful imagery. At some points, the poetic language can begin to sound like a fairy tale, but that is often cut short by bits of history and realism in the cruelty of the authorities against intellectuals and the dire conditions the boys must endure to return home. It is also worth noting here that the book contains some graphic scenes in violence and romance that can cause offense or stomach queasiness.

An aspect of this story that has me on the fence is the characters. Our main heroes and heroine, to me, are the typical ‘kind but somewhat misunderstood’ good guys. They are not completely bland but not captivating in a “I LOVE Harry and Ron and Hermione and I want to be their friends!” kind of way. The supporting cast contains an old hermit and a by-the-book friend with glasses who evoke stronger feelings in the reader towards them than the main characters. The overall mildness of the characters, however, does create ordinary voices that we can relate to and make it hard to label a villain, which is true in real life. Still, I think I would’ve liked a little more depth to the characters so I can remember their individual qualities months after reading about their adventure.

The adventure itself, is quite unique and fun. It is a coming of age story, and also one that celebrates culture, specifically literature and music. The discovery of banned books and folk songs changed these characters’ lives and makes me grateful for the range of resources from all over the world we have access to today, especially now thanks to the internet. Although history is not my favourite subject, I think it is important to understand our past because it shapes our perceptions on life and our roles in society. In the end, that’s what this book is about.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a relatively quick-paced and enjoyable read, if you like the premise. As I’ve mentioned before, there is an ordinariness to the plot that portrays life as it is without the melodrama, which some like and others don’t. It’s a nice little book and I would recommend it – I recently discovered that they made a movie from it, which may be interesting to look at – but if you asked me if this is one I would read over and over again, honestly, probably not. Except maybe the ending. I won’t give it away, but yeah, the ending is pretty great.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Speaking Actions and Loud Words (NaPoWriMo #27)

Robert Doisneau (April 14, 1912 – April 1, 1994)

Masters of panto-mime on paper
Skeptical about the regime’s intentions
Mind makes meaning of scribbles
Sneaky interpreters of thoughts that
reveal more than the winning formula
Footsteps in the dark.
Why is the pen mightier than the sword?

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Very interesting prompt today. I used the famous saying, “actions speak louder than words” and splitting it in half, plugged it into the Google search engine. From there we were to take any poetic phrases and use them as inspiration for our poem. Coincidentally, nearly every phrase in this poem was taken from result summaries, with a total addition of only three words. So I guess in a way Google is the author of today’s entry.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Asbestos: Mini Research

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Asbestos is a mineral of fibrous crystals that absorbs sound, has textile strength, and a resistance to heat, chemical, and electrical damage. Its fibers can be woven into yarn or rope, and are easily added to a variety of materials such as cotton and cement, making it a versatile substance. The inhalation of these fibers has been proved to cause illnesses including cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos is used in many products from drywall roofing tars, to shoes and stage curtains, because of its fireproofing and insulating qualities. It became popularly used by manufacturers and builders in the 19th century as a common insulator and propelled the Industrial Revolution; however, asbestos has been used for as long as 4500 years in Ancient Greece when it was used in oil lamp wicks and ceremonial table cloths. The extraction, manufacturing, and processing of asbestos has been banned in whole or in part by over 60 countries in the world, including those in the European Union. Even though today, far less products in the home contain asbestos, it is still used because of new ways of containing escaping fibers. Canada has yet to ban asbestos and is currently the largest player in the global asbestos industry; over 40% of the world’s asbestos is found in a narrow belt of rocks in Quebec and over 300,000 tons of it can be exported annually to developing countries. The banning of asbestos is a difficult balance for Canada between saving jobs and economic profit or relieving the health hazards placed on workers and consumers from this multi-purpose material.

Written 2009. Since then, Canada’s asbestos industry has been winding down. For anyone who wonders what asbestos is…

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Funny with a pinch of truth

After returning from a farmer’s market, my mother started telling us about a family obstacle course event that was being promoted there. It was a fundraiser to help kids suffering with addiction. The listeners nodded their heads, but most eagerly did the littlest sister, who with eyes bright with understanding said, “Ohhh, like to video games and computers right?”

I want my childhood back. And yet there’s something so true and foreboding in that innocent remark. It’s a good family car moment I want to remember.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” -Aboriginal proverb (NaPoWriMo #22)

Take care of our planet
For all its little creatures
We owe them the experience
Of exploring Earth’s natural features
Like blizzards, rainforests, coral reefs
Oceans and skies of bright blue
Take care for everyone who shares this planet
Especially for those who must one day be stewards too.

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I know this one’s cliche, but I love our planet so this butterfly and rainbow thoughts just spew out. Happy Earth Day!

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Frolicking in Downtown TO: A Pantoum (NaPoWriMo #15)

Cool circular shot of Dundas Square.
Source: http://imgfave.com/view/22260

A cluster frolics the streets, wandering but fast
Fun to have, stomachs to fill, memories to make
Long hours rewarded and in the past at last.
It was the best chocolate banana milkshake.

Wind collects – lights, sounds, smells – as it circles the square
Pass the man drumming rhythms on buckets and tins,
Through the lively city we walk without a care.
Seems where the weekend ends I want it to begin.

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So here’s a poem that is a pantun and about a walk (sort of). I tried ‘killing two birds with one stone’ as they say for missing the prompt on Day 13. Last weekend our whole class went for dinner at Mr. Greenjeans. With the busy and long schedules, we don’t hesitate when there is a chance to have an evening out, and we had a good time being outside in the streets of Toronto, even when it began it rain. It’s moments like these that make me so eager to have the school year finish so we can have the freedom of summer.

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

A Tanka (NaPoWriMo #11)

Striking photo of a frozen statue by Miika Järvinen

Sleet drops in buckets
I forgot my umbrella
Must I go outside?
A hooded man sits content
On the street sipping hot tea

“Someone else is happy with less than what you have.” -Unknown

(More than one third of the way there!)

Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead

Business of Lies (NaPoWriMo #2)

Partners forged in risky but hopeful endeavour,
Signed in trust. Intentions, however,
Change. Paper cut letters sent behind smiling face
Matters little. The money’s already in my suitcase.

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“Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom.”
– Thomas Jefferson

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Thanks for reading,
thebookybunhead