Sunrise at Tengger, by Ismawan IsmailFor a Glimpse of Heaven
When I shut my eyes, I feel the world plunge. Lifting my lids, everything is slowly reborn. Am I imagining this in my head? The sky is waltzing out in blue, red, and white…black smoke gallops in swiftly. Again, I shut my eyes to feel the world,…
Messenger of Love
What does a bee love? To hum around the flower’s chambers only to enter as a lover would enter a lover’s heart, and without fuss become entwined. But as with some lovers, bees also attend to other lovers. But can anyone blame the bee? All…
The Ache of the Empty Chair
There is a specific kind of cold that settles in the marrow when a space is left intentionally vacant. It is not the absence of heat, but the presence of a ghost. I remember the Sunday dinners after my grandfather passed; the table was set…