Live well, work hard, play play? 
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Sticks and Stoned
Those pages that dreamt of you and me, do they not weep for a time when we were free? When we were prisoners of lasses with mighty cutlasses, big batons to match their thick tresses; while we were slipping away, were there any who were begging us to stay? Our guards may become our game, the hunters hunted and tamed.
Sticks and stones, please break my bones. Let me go. Let me be full of woe. There is a time to be sad, when great solitude is to be had. Let me disappear into the city, where a thousand eyes stare without pity.
There is noise, there are signals; every scream, every siren siren a dark, piercing pearl.
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The Streets of Long Goodbyes
The currents are sweet and loud, every merchant bellows the superiority of their wares. The cyclopedes take me on a tour with no destination, perhaps I can catch my own destiny unawares. Am I a lion chasing its own tail? Something courageous could surely not fail? Or am I simply chasing the dragon, some pure delirium? A little morphine, a bit of tar and opium.
My chaperone’s sandaled feet pedal slowly; towards one’s own ruin there can be no hurry.
Give up your questions — there is no Why, my beloved — not in the streets of long goodbyes.
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Waiting
Faces flash past, women grown old before their time, waiting for true love or a stranger’s dime.
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Mysterious Meat
You’ve been the only thing that last in my mind, the only shimmering rope with which my hopes I bind. Yet when the carcasses of mysterious meat do I encounter, I cannot help but flounder — what if you are gone? what if our time together was always wrong?
The kind ladies ask me if I would like some, quickmeats to chew and wash down with river rum. No, thank you, I decline, though fairer flesh I would not find, in this city where the canines run wild and swift on account of butchers seeking their brutish beef.
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Rush Hour
Every hour takes us closer to our demise, our destruction. The End, no more Happily Ever After. No more joy, tears and laughter. Still we rush and we quicken, running blindly without instruction. We might end, we may dissolve and dissipate, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna sit down and wait.
I’m gonna keep running and I’m gonna quicken my pace, for I cannot imagine one more day without seeing your face.
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~ * ~
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Photographs & design by Kenny Mah.
Hà Nội, Vietnam.
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Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Part 1: The Communist Merman
Part 2: These Pages They Dream
Part 3: The Streets of Long Goodbyes
Part 4: The Garden of Lanterns of Grave Lament
These women, sisters to Prufrock’s fair counterparts who go to and fro, waiting for Michaelangelo. Some might even be mermaids unawares until they reach the sea and the waves call to them.
Even the Streets of Long Goodbyes have an end. And soon you’ll be home.
Can’t wait for Part 4.
“Mermaids Unawares” — that sounds like the title of a story to me.
And home? I believe I am always home when I have my beloved in my heart. (But a warm body next to me in bed, cuddling me, is even better, yes?)
Actually, my first song was about a Mermaid Unawares. I haven’t sung it in ages, lord, but … oklah, one day, if you ask
It’s called Fairy Tale.
I agree about the warm body in bed. And home and the heart.
But for now? A bracelet of hopes, dreams, sentiments and love worn 24 hours a day will do. (Yes, there’s a story to this one. Ask me about it someday…)
And…err. Why is that lady sitting on a pile of smoked meat? Instead of a chair?
Fairy Tale? That sounds right up my alley… would love to hear it one day if I may.
One day, I shall ask you about the Twenty-Four Hour Bracelet too.
And… err… Maybe you should read this comment here, and send in your guess too.
sounds like a very fruitful trip…
Fruitful… and meaty too. Ahem.
it’s not just those women who are waiting, is it? it seems like it’s everybody in these photos, even those who are only waiting to get through the traffic. and of course, that sense of waiting is steeped in your prose too.
this post reminded me, in its tone, of the final lines from the great gatsby. bah. if i’m plagued by melancholy dreams tonight, i have you to blame.
It’s interesting that you mention all that waiting since I originally wanted to title this post “I Don’t Wanna Wait” (thought I guess its current title indicates some of the same).
Also, I apologise in advance for any melancholic dreams you may have, and only reserve to say that better melancholia in dreams than during the waking day, eh?
the canine, in its sleep looks fine. lust if i may, of their flesh with wine. there’ll come a day, of sometime in may. will the man’s best friend, be grilled at my table’s end? the question unanswered, the bread’s unbuttered.
it’s early in the morning and the pedals will soon be a moving. the dogs are not howling, so i better be asleeping.
What on earth are you doing replying to my blog at FIVE in the morning? Get some sleep, bro!
P.S. Oh you commented in rhymes… Am I supposed to berbalas pantun? Maybe later when I get some coffee in my system.
Anyone else care to take over in the meantime?
I rush, you rush, we rush every day. I run, you chase, we are in the rat race. One year, twelve months, time just passed like that. It is irony that we are chasing after happiness; if we slow down in our tracks, happiness might just catch up with us
“It is irony that we are chasing after happiness; if we slow down in our tracks, happiness might just catch up with us.”
I. Just. Love. That.
So damn true. Amen, brother, amen.
aye, where’s your reply? Both of us are waiting. haha
Light and shadows, wine and fine lines. My hunger lit by a midnight glow, upon unclean meat do I dine. Night deepens but let us not sleep. Instead converse and banter, deeper and deep.
No more rushing, no more brushing off the vital parts that move our trembling hearts. Let us not be rats that run and race nor a dragon whose own tail does it chase.
Go slow, let it flow. Joy, sweet joy shall join us till our hearts do gladly burst…
NICE
Now who’s turn is it to balas pantun? Hehe.
wait, those arent canine meat, are they?
eww … cannot stomach lah. but they looked more like porcine.
now, where’s da food shots?!!
Hehe, you can always pretend that it’s really pork. It probably tastes just like it too.
P.S. Of course, for my Muslim readers, it doesn’t really matter since both meat from pigs and dogs are not halal.
U had to put up the mysterious meat picture dincha?
Not really… but it was fun. Tee hee.
Beautiful pictures… Reading this post while looking at the pictures, it feels like you are bringing me to another world….. an escape…. very nice……
Ah, I only hope it’s not too moribund a world I’m bringing you to…
p.s: Can’t wait to read more the “berbalas pantun” between you two…. I’m amazed with people who can write pantun, so talented!!!!
I dread my own “pantun” — terrible verse that barely rhyme. Eeks.
But yeah, more berbalas pantun coming right up! Who’s next?
dog meat? oh no those poor puppies!
Errm, I am sure they only used grown-up doggies who’ve had a long and productive life. Then again, that’d make the meat tough and not tender, so they probably did use puppy meat. Oh dear.
Gory. The bow-wows laid out for sale. The rest it’s the usual – beautiful.
Hmm. Bow-wow Baguettes anyone?
what can i say.. totally mesmerized by ur shots! mysterious meat is so weird .. so visually disturbing .. it’s cool..
Visually disturbing? Well, special brownie points to anyone who can figure what’s extra special about that picture. Look closely…
whats the reward? haha
Special brownie points lor… which isn’t the same as actual brownies, I must admit, unless one of my celebrity baker friends would like to sponsor some as prizes?
Beautiful pictures. Love them all. Would make wonderful banners.
Only thing is where’s the Vietnamese beef
And I don’t mean the kind you put in stews and soups.
The Vietnamese beef? Well, there is still one more part to come…
Came here from ur anniversary post on Scrabble. Beautiful pictures but a bit creepy…
I assure you the pictures were not meant to be creepy but everyone has their own interpretation and I can see where you’re coming from, too!
“I’m gonna keep running and I’m gonna quicken my pace, for I cannot imagine one more day without seeing your face.” no wonder u were “in the mood for love- 33 minutes ago” ;>
I’m always in the mood for love ma…
Indochine! Or The Lover! I am seeing a pattern of tying your posts to one film or another and guess what, they are most often well-made films I’d enjoyed or changed my life in minute or massive ways!
Really? Wow, that’s a nice connection… which makes me wonder if we all have certain films that become part of our lives like a score or a soundtrack?
An excellent award contending effort from kennygeographic and with more coming kennydiscoveries , we are sure !
“Kennygeographic”? “Kennydiscoveries”?
Oh man, you crack me up!
Did you bring back a “doggie bag”? lol
Unfortunately (or do I mean fortunately), I didn’t. Doubt I’d have any friends who’d appreciate this snack…
Sometimes I wonder where they could get so many dogs to turn into their staple diet? Do they have a dog farm or something?
Really cool and interesting shots, Kenny!
Maybe they just chase after the canines running wild in the streets of the city. Cos, the Vietnamese folk? They sure are fit!
Wailing heard at dawn
Baton’s swinging hits tan beast
Stop barking has stop.
A Hanoi-ified haiku? Nice… Let me try a reply:
Barking never stops
Not unless the pot is filled
With that lil barker…
Hmm. A tad grim lah our exchange, no? Poor doggy.
sad haiku we have
barking does irritate ya
wonders ’bout curry
Canine curry, yes?
Sharp and spicy, be careful
Of bark versus bite…
Bark is worse than bite
Canine curry, pass I will
Scorned, ashamed I am.
Ah, but my bite is
Far nicer than my bark, see
Bruises, kisses, please.
keropokman is good too!
Aye, that he is. When are you joining in, LIC?
yes, agree w selba..its akin to atr “dimension” /place…..
The alternate dimension is just one step sideways away from ours. I mean, you watched The Matrix, right?
canine croissants? doggy danishes? puppy pastries?
Eww. Eww. Eww.
I love my readers, haha.
I just posted some Vietnamese food!
Serendipity!
And a 101 ways to wok the dog!!?
“Wok the dog”? ROFL
Oh dear, it’s just a matter of time before PETA or SPCA clamps down on my very un-PC ass.
“Give up your questions — there is no Why, my beloved — not in the streets of long goodbyes.”
if only it is so easy to stop questioning ourselves. sighs.
It takes time, my friend, time. And we never do stop questioning ourselves, I think. It’s just that as we get older and wiser (one hopes), we are content on not having all the answers.
*hugs*
they all look so bored but it looks so lovely! why so boring i wonder?
Hmm… There’s nothing remotely boring about Hanoi, I venture. I simply love it as a city, but I guess I am a stranger, a visitor, an outsider to its charms. For its citizens, it have more mundane dreariness that seems to be one long wait after another, perhaps?
i cannot wait to be a visitor to hanoi one day!
It’s just a plane ticket away, dear… Plan for it, and you might even get a free seat (or at least, a dirt cheap one anyway). God bless budget airlines. Hee.
My gosh I love the photos! I can understand why they’ve evoked so much poetry on this page!
Poetry can be found in the images themselves, if one looks in that direction. I love Hanoi…
Nice of you for sharing the insight of their daily lifestyle.
Hehe, I wonder if this is truly their daily lifestyle, but it’s nice to imagine so, no?
poor doggies!
If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t take a single itty bite… *hugs*
maybe the streets don’t want to say goodbye? :p
Maybe… In which case, I can’t wait to say hello to them again!