Asian Gold - Sari, Cheongsam And Kimono Poem by john tiong chunghoo

Saris, they hold on to you
lady, like ruby, making you
one bastion of womanhood
as you walk sultrily down
the street, carrying the weight
of India's savoir-faire round
your belly and hip, your shawl
my heart, cruising and frolicking
all the way to the temple

they are a wear inspired by
the Gods, Shiva, Krishna,
Brahma, Laskmi and Saraswati

they flow with grace like angels
and they hold on to you like
an altar fit for the abode of the Divine
and when you set your body to dance
the Sari is all heavenly grace
swirling and twirling the world

Cheongsam your hip that goes
up and down the street makes
this wear shoulder to toe a golden
measure of womanhood and all
the assets that it carries with
a fine balance slit in between
for the prime mover of the house
to comport with ease without
sacrificing her poise, her gait

they are meant to hold your
gaze, soothe your heart
and perhaps inspire your spirit
as she resolutely walks you
down five thousand years of
the resilience of her civilisation
like the leverage of her wear
united, torn, united, torn
victory, defeat, victory defeat
at the hands of near and afar
yet taking all in her articulate stride
with just a slit at the helm of her gown
to keep her from falling over

Kimono - they say japanese
carried this back from Tang's
China but what a magnificent
adaptation it has made in
the land of the rising Sun
the Obi that so meticulously
and warmly holds up a Japanese
nubile at the back as she
celebrates her coming of age
a shroud so close to the mother's waist
it carries the warmest memory
every child could have of mother
how they have clung on to her
from behind as she asked
'Do you love mom? Do you love mom? '
under the profuse spring cherry blossom