Ruby - Astari Boedikoentjara
Battle of the sexes:
That woman scares you.
She has more opinions than you do.
Like a vehicle with a quarter of petrol in your tank
or the last 50 in your bank account
Like a tired athlete after a marathon,
groaning at another round
Like an endless conversation
All hopes are lost
The last bit of oxygen’s out
They say you’ll never return
This is officially your final mission
So, the vast ocean has claimed you
I had to leave you
behind me, before 2023
My messages have gone unreplied
You were probably busy
and I chose to be kind
by not accusing you of pure ignorance
You don’t know me well enough
especially to live my life
to make such short-sighted assumptions.
That’s okay, though.
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions,
no matter how flawed.
Is it difficult for you
to criticise the person
despite their outer appearance
or even origin?
Yeah, speaking from experiences
Be grateful that I’ve kept quiet
as you blab to every pair of ear
who probably refuse to hear
your sob stories
your endless miseries
Don’t insult yourself
by comparing you with a cat
that cannot resist
the sight of a fresh fish
right in front of it.
You use your bitter past
to ensure their hopes won’t last.
“Be realistic,”
that’s what you always say
making sure your message sticks.
Questions with questions
That’s how you answer
Not much you mention,
‘though you’re such talkers
How to expect you to understand,
What did that elephant ever do to you?
You’re no human,
such a horrible monster(s),
feeding her with a pineapple,
filled with active firecrackers.
Have I put myself on exile for too long,
that solitude no longer feels wrong?
Just hollow,
a vacant space without a vibrant soul.
I’m afraid to forget
