Live Encounters Poetry & Writing Volume Four November-December 2024
Leaving home, poems by Siljee Ree.
Leaving home
leaving was easy
pack my suitcase and go
it was easy
only for a short while
now, returning is difficult
not knowing what will be
there and what won’t
will it all feel the same
or will it all be different
most people I know
are there
but now I’m unsure
if we actually even know
eachother
leaving was easy
but I don’t know
when I’ll return
anymore
Living in Tokyo
Early sunrises
summers that never ends
fast and slow intertwines
pulling in opposite directions
fast paced city life
events, travel and work, repeat
no breaks
but also,
the Japanese way of life
calligraphy, cooking and onsen traditions
slow methods, honoring origins
seasonality
nothing going to waste
prepared with special care and attention to details
beautiful artworks
to be shared and enjoyed
the thrill of changing seasons
a source for celebrations
showcasing its treasures
a feast
for all the senses
I try to stop, to slow down and to enjoy
the small moments
sometimes I do
but city life
has me trapped
in a trance of repeating habits
to do and to do and to do and after
I do this I’ll do that
I love Japan and everything it has to offer
sometimes it makes my head spin
I try my best to appreciate it
a little bit more
everyday
© Silje Ree
Silje Ree is a bilingual visual poet, artist and the founder of Mellom Press. Currently living in Tokyo, she holds an MA from University of the Arts London. Through visual poetry and the medium of the book, she explores the interplay between words, languages and imagery, and finds understanding within the untranslatable. She has published two poetry pamphlets with Sampson Low: Melodilaust tone fall (2019) and E∩N (2018). https://siljeree.com/ Instagram: @silje.ree