:pray, [think]

i send out a heartfelt request for all my kakis, soulmates, blood brothers and sisters, acquaintances, friends, shoulder-brushers, brief-hi-ers... whoever you may be, please spare a moment today to pray for Joan Chan Shufang, an RG senior of mine.
If you guys read The Straits Times, last Sunday they carried a story on her in Lifestyle. She is suffering from tongue cancer and is facing the very painful fact of imminent premature termination of her life in 3 weeks to a few months' time. Her treatment options are "limited", and all she can do now is to live out her days with her family, friends, and the unanimous love and prayers from strangers like us.

there is a mass to be held this saturday at the church of our lady star of the sea, in Yishun (right behind yishun national lib) from 9am onwards, in the AV room on 4th floor. It's a catholic church, but if you're free and would like to spend some time to join others in prayer for Joan, please do try to make it (regardless of race, religion, denomination, love of wasabi flavoured ice cream... etc). Detailed directions can be found at joanchanshufang.blogspot.com.

sitting down
in the middle of an empty room
dark in the edges (filled with stark whispers
cutting through
the pregnant silence)

someone is mourning (but not;maybe)
dressed in white
i can see frills in the collar
meticulously worked over with a spidery hand
in blue satin.
i can see
opalescent glimmers of
the things that make us (not happy)
on the cheeks
turned (pointedly) to the side.

i advance
tremulously

and i cannot suppress the fear in me
when the mourner acknowledges my intrusion
by turning to face me

i recognize
my face in tears

and my heart (anointed by the awfully sad droplets)
clasped in the skeletal hands
wrapped delicately in white (worked in blue

satin)

and there is no trace of soul.