Those Javanese eyes

Those Javanese eyes
by Azly Rahman

I dreamed of a Javanese girl
bright eyes
jet black hair
pink cheeks
smile like a million rupiah
lipstick borrowed from her Bugis mother

That Javanese girl
she may have been twelve
or thirteen
maybe younger
lips so red
Her mother's  lipstick
Maybelline maybe
Estee Lauder maybe
that worn by Christina Aguilera maybe
Home-made...  from dried red roses  maybe
she wants to grow up fast
that Javanese girl with eyes like sunshine
she wants to meet the world

In Kuala Johor
lipstick stores are rare
in Singapore the kampongfolks hunt for their ware
group tours they dare
To cross the causeway at discounted bus fare
Lychees
munchies
oodles of cloth
imitation Oshkosh B'Gosh
Doraemon dolls
Barbies from Padang Besar malls
multicolored hair clips and all
extra strong men's cologne
    Brut, Drakkar Noir, Polo, Ralph Lauren, and all
the Kuala Johor folks will buy them all

Those Javanese eyes
shining bright as the Bali sun
sparkling as the sage Hamka's  lakes in Medan
To see the world she must
what will she see?
what will she see?
what will she see?

Only those little red Javanese lips will tell
A story will multiple endings only Kurosawa could foresee