The dropped Like Flakes by Emily Dickinson

They dropped like Flakes -
They dropped like Stars -
Like Petals from a Rose -
When suddenly across the June
A Wind with fingers - goes -
They perished in the Seamless Grass -
No eye could find the place -
But God can summon every face
On his Repealless - List.

Do you believe in afterlife or do you believe that once you die, you will just disappear? Will your sins forgiven? Some people don’t believe in an afterlife; perhaps even think that once humans die, they will automatically disappear from the world forever, as well as their sins. However, Emily Dickinson holds a different belief. She has faith in eternal life, as well as the hope that others will believe in it too.


The first three lines of the poem explain how frail humans are; they easily dropped like flakes, they also dropped like stars. The speaker describes humans’ lifespan as short as rose’s petals that are only sustainable less than a week. It’s also means how humans are weak and easily fall for sins. June is a perfect time for roses to bloom, but since roses only bloom in short period, the rose leads to death. The word “suddenly” in line four, shows the unexpected life of humans; they could die whenever and wherever they are, unpredictably. Of course, the petals of a rose won’t drop only because of gravity but also for the reason that something is taking or pulling the petals. A wind with fingers stands for death that takes the life of humans.

The speaker uses the word ‘fingers’ because humans’ fingers are capable to do actions, such as taking, pulling, giving, etc. As a result, a wind with fingers grasps and pulls everything, dragging every soul from its corporal body, and just goes and disappears to an unknown location. The things that have been pulled are dead and perished into Seamless Grass. “Seamless” shows the condition of transition between life and death, while the Grass is a place for soul to rest but not yet heaven. In Christian belief, this placed is called purgatory, it’s a place where the souls after death either are purified from venial sins or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinners.

“No eye could find the place” means that no living soul shall find purgatory as it’s not yet their time to enter the realm of death. Regarding the word ‘summon’ and ‘Repealless - List’ in the last two lines, the speaker states that souls don’t have to stay forever in purgatory unforgiveable. Seeing that God always has mercy, always forgive humans’ sins and every soul shall live in Heaven and shall feel happiness, as God promised in the book of Genesis.

The Brutality of Nazism

Have you ever been forced to do something you don’t really like? Perhaps something that makes other feel disgraceful toward you? Is it because you’re wrong or simply because you’re different? Jews are known having extraordinary intelligent and somewhat rich. The amount of them is lesser than the native German, which somewhat controversial. The Nazi begins from the jealousy and rage of a young Austrian man, Adolf Hitler. He was rejected from the School of Art, which much of its student was Jews. Unsatisfied with the School’s Border opinion, Hitler skipped school and start joining a small politic organization.

The movie, The Pianist, played by Adrien Brody is a film that tells the life and the suffering of Jews who lived at the time where Nazism occurred. He is an outstanding pianist from a rich Jews family. He’s known widely by people and other musicians and has lots of friends, including those who are native German. Never been thought by him or any other Jews that the life of Jews will change vastly and swiftly, or even tragically. The first bomb he heard is when Szpilman play a song in one of the Warsaw Radio station. He is surely shocked and never knew what’s going on. As days pass on, he realizes that the day of Jews’ extermination has started.

Throughout the film, we can see how rude Germans are; how rage and jealousy has made them nothing but merely dogs; how society can change the notion about Jews, how inhumanly they are. There is a scene where a small little boy, trying to smuggle contraband, either food or armed guns. He’s trying to escape from the other side of the wall, but he got busted by the soldiers. He is hit and beaten until he’s dead. Life surely is meaningless to them, isn’t it?

But to be honest, I’ve never seen such a lucky person as Wladyslaw Szpilman. First of all, he saved from the bomb in the Warsaw Radio Station, separated from his family, end up in a ceiling storage room receiving aids from a Captain of regular German Army and yet rise up again, one more time, as the pianist. I also never seen a person has a strong passion and desire just to play piano in his life. Remember the moment when he “plays” the piano slyly in locked apartment and how he touches the edges of piano (the place where he met Wilm Hosenfeld)? It’s so incredible to see such a person, suffering so many unwanted moments and painful minutes, still have an immense desire to play piano; and he did play more the just well. I really like Szpilman’s personality; it shows how passion and vitality can help a person to endure even the most painful moment the world. Music is his Passion, yet Survival is his Masterpiece.

"To Live" movie Review

This movie was set up in China from the heady days of gambling dens in the 1940s to the austere hardship of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. It brought us to see the life of a Chinese couple, how they endure the pain, day by day and year by year. The story center on a prosperous son of a wealthy land-owner, Fu Gui (Ge You) who can’t stop his nasty addiction in gambling. Soon, he lost his fortune, family and wealth. His wife, Jia Zhen (Gong Li) abandoned him and brought both of their children to escape Fu Gui’s madness. One year later, Jia Zhen came back after she gave birth to their second child, You Qing. They reunited, thus life is not as easy as it may seem.

To Live, is a movie which has a simple title yet, conceals a universe. The movie portrait the struggle of the heroine, Jia Zhen with fate, who loses her wealth, position, and children. The one who says, “All I ask is a quiet life together.”Gong Li plays marvelously and terrifically in the movie, as a heroine, mother, and hope. She shows mom’s protective attitude toward every danger that her children might have to face and endure. Without any further reconsideration, she left her husband when he unable to stop his gambling addiction. Her goal is only one, to look forward toward a better future; where she could educate her children not to be like his husband. She present how strong woman can be in every harsh moment, when both of her children die unexpectedly (the youngest died in car accident and the older one died after giving birth).

The movie also shows how ironically live can be in this world. Fu Gui survive in his getaway to home, while the man, Long ’Er who won Fu Gui’s house at dice is executed as a counter-revolutionary landowner. Even the death of Fu Gui’s son is caused by his own best friends, Chun Sheng. These accidental events shows how fate of someone’s is always intervene with others, unexpectedly, surprising and somehow sad and gloom.

Though Zhang Yi Mou, the director of “To Live” had made extraordinary film, which also embellished by Gong Li’s honesty, the film was banned from China. Both Zhang Yi Mou and Gong Li were banned on further co-production and they even not allowed speaking about the film. Thus, To Live has been playing all over the world; exist as a fascinating testament about ordinary human life that conducted terrible conditions. A fascinating, strong and poignant film that shows the dreadful side of ambitious politicians, the luster of China’s history and a life of ordinary people that struggle for a quite life. A magnificent contribution to China’s filmmaking.

Abigail Williams in Crucible

The Crucible was created by Arthur Miller about the lifestyle and society in 1950s. In this play, there is a character named Abigail Williams, who I considered to be "viciously inhuman harlot, who drives the play." She bears most of the responsibility where for the girls meeting Tituba in the woods and Betty unconsciousness, but apparently she success to conceal the facts that she's guilty. However, she's trusted by people in the village. The worst part is people in the society act as if they're stupid and don't know what's she playing. Well, think this. How can you're not realize that every girl who oppose Abigail will be placed in front of the judge? But I was impresed by her that she able to lures all the girls to behave the same way. In some point, I believe that she had demonic possession and connection to voodoo.

Abigail represent everything opposite of Elizabeth. She doesn't suppress her desires. She finds herself attracted to Proctor while working in the Proctor home. According to the Puritanical mindset, Abigail's attraction to Proctor constitutes a sin, but one that she could repent of and refuse to acknowledge. Abigail does the opposite. She pursues Proctor and eventually seduces him. Abigail's willingness to discard Puritan social restrictions sets her apart from the other characters, and also leads to her downfall. Abigail is independent, believing that nothing is impossible or beyond her grasp. The most sinister act is where Abigail never felt guilty hanged so many people. In addition after she lost the judges' trust, Abigail steals Rev.Parris' life savings and ran away, never to be heard again.

Hmm... You're the one!

When you touch my lips,
I feel your warmth
When you touch my tongue,
I'm melted!
When I bite you,
Hmmm, crunchy!
You give me,
this frenzy sensation

I'm addicted to you...
Night and Day
'till dusk and dawn..
You're squared
You have the quality
You're the one and only
My favorite chocolate,
RITTER SPORT,
with crispy-crunchy cornflakes!

Cry of the Invisible Children

Having seen the suffering kids in Africa, makes me remember this quote, "I am part of all that I have met." It's true in our real world that we see and meet people. We become part of them, in their minds, memories, dreams and actions. But, it's not always been pleasure to become part of someone, if all our actions only bring sorrows, pains, and misfortunes. The life of African kids, especially in Uganda is cruel and terrifying. I had seen many documentary film, but not as harsh and as disturbing like this. This documentary film shows the impact  of war on children. I was dissapointed by the adults, especially government officials and the rebels. They act as if it's the right to to abduct little kids, because they are small and stupid enough to be used. I was really furious toward the "childish" attitude of the adults. Come on man! 17 years! What do they want to do to their own people and country just to satisify their group personal interest? Can't they just stop and act legally as adults? I just wanna beat them up! 

If you've read my previous blog, you should have known this quote "Man's little pleasure is the spring of sorrow." The life of common people and children in Africa is really concerning. When I look the documentary film of "Invisible Children" I was shoked that Man's "LITTLE" pleasure can give massive impac to one small country in Central Africa. The war was started because of one's greed of power and money, which bring the country into a brink of burden and grief. 

Many concerning problem grow faster than ever before, people hunger for food and safe place to spend theirr night. I sometimes can't appreciate what I had. When I saw this documentary movie, I felt so stupid and foolish. I often don't eat the food that I don't like, but this kids are eating everything they can have. They don't ask what today's menu is, instead they'll ask can we eat today. They also spent a night at damp, dirty and unsafe place; underneath the hospital (sewer-like room) or even of the hospital's roof,while I sleep on soft bed with air conditioner. Now, I feel that I am one of the minor fortunated teenagers in the world that can leave happily with care and security from parents.   

Man's little pleasure is the Spring of Sorrow :(

I was at Writer's Workshop class when I saw this quote "Man's little pleasure is the Spring of Sorrow" for the first time. I rarely look for quote or even read it because sometimes, it's so ambiguous and confusing, but well I still need to read and interpret it no matter how. This quote has "spring" as the key word. The "Spring" can be a leap or jump, the season between winter and summer, or the first stage or the freshest period. 

Man's pleasure is far beyond adequate. Man would never be satisfy until he gets what he wants. He will look for it over and over again, but by the time he got it, he will forget what he had got and look for more and even more greater obsession. Man would never stop to get this "pleasure." The Spring marks the beginning of man's gluttony. Since every moment, man looks for more and more pleasure, they destroy everything that was meant to be in order. Global warming and extinguishment of rare animals are two over millions example of man's greed. Money is the first factor why now our world is in devastated situation, such as extreme poverty, starvation, illness, and many others. This is the consequences of man's greed, which is derived from man's pursuit of pleasure. "Man's little pleasure is the spring of sorrow," because man himself is the one who start the mourning of the world, that impact to the human themselves.

I think this is my interpretation over the quote above. This quote is meaningful and would help the prevention on global warming and other global issues. Perhaps this quote needs to be shown for those who are hungry for pleasure, to know that the world is not "THEIRS," but it's "OURS" too. 

Most Random Thing I've ever Written

        Have you ever been slapped by money and suddenly you just don't know what to do? This is the feeling when I've been asked by Your Graceful Lord Ruffle to write the "last conversation" before coming to class. Of course, I don't know what to write except than "HI :)" 

 

FYI, before having a Writer's Workshop class, I was studying Mandarin with Yin Huang Ho (Yin = my teacher family name; Huang Hou = a reference to "Empress") . It's kinda hard living in dictatorship :(  and I'm dying to drop out.. >.<>

Between this  

                 OR THIS             

Your Choice!

Most Meaningful Song I've ever heard

          Hey, Guys... Today is Thursday... You know what's that supposed to mean right? 2 more days to loosen up your stress in the weekend/heaven.. Since it's Thursday, I'd like to show a song lyric that you might or might not know. It's my favorite song in the beginning year of 2009 and this singer has not been released an album in approximately 2 to 4 years. I'm not sure :D This is a really nice and meaningful song and here's the first and second verse of the lyric. Give it up for "Camouflage," by Brandy.  

Camouflage

I'm a work in progress
I'm a seed grown into a flower
I'm a storm that's rising
Getting stronger with every hour
And god knows I ain't perfect
  Tell me who in the world is                                               
All I know is that I'm searching
For somebody to love me with

These flaws I've got
There all apart of who I am
Take me, all night
That I finally understand
I'm so done trying to be everything you want
When I have to stop
Because baby you ain't worth it
I've got to Camouflage
For love, for love
No I won't Camouflage
For love, for love
I won't Camouflage


I really really love this song, not only for the music and the beat, but also for the lyrics that is identical with me. When you see the first three lines, it says "I'm," putting the listener and reader into the music and as if they are participating into it. All those three lines have the embodiment of the a strong individual. The reason I like this song because it's show what human really is. Most song in the world sang by singer are basically praises their group, band, or even their self. But this song it's different, it's expose human's flaw, which is "imperfection" and show that human can enhance in every aspect of their life, yet it can't be perfect. Further down it says that "I" don't want to change because of love. This relate to myself because I, myself, don't want to change into somebody because of love. I believe that everyone in this world is unique, therefore except yourself, the way you should be.

Introduction to the Author

Before I present my other works for you guys, I'd like you to take a glimpse of me. It's nothing much, but just a minimalist poem of me. With this, I hope you have an idea about what kind person I am. A character of a person is unique and each won't be the same as other, which I believe is one of the factors why poems are various, meaningful, and touching.

I am Sandy,

Who like to smile although things are not working out good

In grief or in happiness,

I will always find a way,

Just like how a spring on a mountain journeys to meet the sea.

I am Sandy

The Black Tattoed Butterfly / Bad Omens

Butterfly is known as a delicate creature of the order of Lepidoptera. Though, there isn’t much to see in Surabaya, it interests me much because of its unusual life cycle and spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colorful winged adult form. In Japanese culture, butterfly is seen as the personification of a person's soul, whether they're living, dying, or dead. Most of butterflies are viewed as bad omens. This idea excites me to create an extraordinary yet terse and simple poem about butterfly that connects to theme of death, gloom, and eternity. Here is the poem, Enjoy!

The Black Tattooed Butterfly

I am the messenger of death

I say the earth is not the heaven of mortals

I’ve seen far too many mortals,

Mortals oh mortals…

Born and reborn,

Live in endless cycle.

Shame on you, who only have a sip of time,

Unable to enjoy immortality,

Drunk from the tempting brevity of time,

Unable to revert their true selves.

Yet here I am,

Stand still to observe and deliver.

I am not the God, who gives life.

I am merely a messenger,

I am the sign of death,

I am eternal.

I am the Black Tattooed Butterfly.

Welcome and Selamat Datang to my Blogger/Creativity Corner! I’m Sandy, one of the Juniors of Surabaya International School. Before you guys read further more, I’d like to give an insight about blogger in different perspective. Many people or maybe some of you might think that blogger it’s outdated and not fancy enough to attract reader’s attention. Well, if you do, then you get the wrong idea. With blogger, I’d like to show you guys how useful blogger is, not only for blogging or writing bunch of junks; but to share the unexpected ideas, dreams, creativities, uniqueness, and abilities of someone. Therefore, please don’t concede and close this blog; enjoy and take some time to explore my blog. Critique, compliment, and criticism are welcomed, but please be friendly :D  

So once again, Welcome to the Unexpected Creativity Corner of Writer’s Workshop! Enjoy!