You were spotted on a bustling highway.
Tiny, ugly, tailless and terrified.
Your little body trembling with fear, a strong urine stench was emitting from your body.

A week later. I woke up to you snuggling in my bed; pillow to be exact, securely, warmly.
Since then new house laws were enforced.
My bed was your bed. I was your mother. I was your favourite human who provides you unlimited food and endless playtime.

You then befriended Twelve and Monkey.
Three of you shared a bed, a blanket, a bowl of water.
But not their food.
You, however, welcomed them to enjoy your bowl of kibbles generously.
My first thought was: what a loving cat.
In hindsight, you probably thought: The human will refill my bowl with fresh kibbles. Two of you can have my leftovers.

You were named Goku for two reasons; too vigorous as a kitten and for a long time I believed you were immortal, just like the manga character.

4 months later we moved.
You grew into a rebellious teenager. Longed for a taste of freedom and the outside world.
Your free and wild spirit wouldn’t keep you home. You broke the mosquito net and habitually left house for wildlife adventure.
Once you didn’t return for one and a half day.
Your picture was up. I canvassed the neighbourhood and called for you.
Nothing.
I thought you were gone for good. You craze for freedom after all.
The second night you returned meowing for food and water and snuggles. I performed a dramatic scene.
I believed you understood my performance, because ever since, you never once spent another night out.
You always come home.

Your freedom didn’t come free. It came with three cat bells.
When the three cat bells jangling they played as a smoothing refrain.They became my lullaby that reassured that you were around, healthily, happily.
And it calmed my anxious heart.

You. My lizard catcher. My life saviour.
My whole life, the relationship between the lizards and me have been fiery.
Shrieking, bouncing, yelling when there’s one.
You appeared to protect me from them.
I felt safe under your surveillance.
Despite some odd days you instinctively showed appreciation by bringing one to bed, at two in the morning, your appreciation is very much appreciated.

But now my lizard catcher is gone.

The walls creaked the night you left.
Lizards paraded in the house, hissed loudly, as if they were celebrating victory their biggest enemy, my lizard catcher has gone forever.
I loathed them for that.

Over the past one month, home has become something else.
It feels empty without your surveillance.
Soundless without your bells jangling.
The bed and pillow feel naked.
The air smells bitter and heavy and icy.

My body and imagination have gone riot.
Every insect I see around the house I suspect that is you come back to pay a visit.
Then my lungs behaving strange. Like a puntured balloon that will never reach a full measure of oxygen.
My heart feels like its sinking one inch deeper into a dark abyss each time I think of you.

A few times the baby at next house cries and I mistaken that is you that came home meowing for me.
Only to be reminded you are gone.

And I feel abandoned.

The day I planted your ashes in the white Morning Glory.
A butterfly dropped by.
Watching me place your Morning Glory on your favourite, regular spot near the gate, carefully, peacefully.

Now whenever my hearts sinks one inch deeper.
I step out of the house and stare at you; your white Morning Glory.
And I see you: your obstinacy, your haughtiness, your delicacy.

Your White Morning Glory, it’s growing free and it’s growing wild.
Just like you.

Still I Rise ---- Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

背完禮運大同篇不知道要背什麼了嗎？最近跟我的語言交換夥伴在做poetry exchange, 我教他背唐詩，他也介紹我一些英文詩，很好玩！

分享一首美麗的詩，是美國當代一位很重要的非裔詩人Maya Angelou寫的，關於種族歧視的反抗，我覺得很美也很有力量。在Maya的巧妙用喻下，也看得見詩人特有的幽默，你們喜歡嗎？
【Maya Angelou本人朗誦Still I Rise，聽她念更能感受英文的韻律之美，不過她自己稍微即興創作了一下，念的跟英文原文有點出入】
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

---------------------------------
【背誦法：http://fairyseyes.blogspot.tw/2013/10/031030-2.html】

【背誦法(番外篇)：http://fairyseyes.blogspot.tw/2013/11/blog-post_11.html】

【語言交換：http://fairyseyes.blogspot.tw/2013/11/blog-post_25.html】