pregnant woman
by the lapping waves of the sea
slender calves exposed
fixing the strap of her dress
woman stops sowing corn
in the mountain mist
poor cicada being hunted
girls are tired of playing
with rubber bands
another tooth fallen off
Alola still plans to charm
with her huge smiles
an okra plant was knocked down last night
the heavy rain
or afterwards the moon so cold and bright?
plants eagerly wait
in the garden patch
trembling, moon is late
book closed for the night
lover fast asleep
half-full moon
the cool breath of dawn
on your skin, my warm breath shall disturb
to wake up a storm
These short poems which I call haiku were written in East Timor in 2004 and have appeared on damau.org with a Vietnamese translation by Thường Quán.