A Birth Poem by john tiong chunghoo

a birth is always painful
like how the universe came into being
a blast strong enough to impregnate
every fertility nerve of earth

a child bursts out innocent tears
when it is shoved into the world
a woman is awakened to a new self
love flows with renewed intensities
in so many spheres; sound, touch, taste,
sights, hope, fear....

the birth of a soul is also a painful experience
the living faculties close one by one
as every cell takes the cold shoulders
to let the soul loosen itself into the realm
beyond the blast of the big bang