International Women's Day meme: Kwong Li wants many things

[rthstewart]

I feel a little odd posting this except maybe it will help lighten for a moment a grim mood that afflicts all of us who feel part of the global community as we watch the videos from Japan that should be from a horror film but are not. 

For autumnia 

Kwong Lee is a bad Buddhist. Every night, her husband counts beads and prays to a woman named Mary who buried her murdered son. Meanwhile, she meditates on the Noble Eightfold Path and chants mantras to free her of want.

It doesn’t work. She wants to know if her sister and brother are alive in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong. She wants the foods she cannot find with ration coupons – five spice powder, huáng jiǔ rice wine, chili oil, and nián'gāo for the New Year. She wants Mr. Patel to stop smoking in her kitchen. She wants her son to survive the Merchant Navy and she wants her grandson to grow up without war.

Kwong Lee wants many things and is a bad Buddhist.

As I had 3 requests for Aravis, I'm writing something longer.  I'll post that later.

Comments

[intrikate88.livejournal.com]

♥ ♥

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thanks!! and thanks for all the great info and the lovely review!!

[marbleglove.livejournal.com]

This is lovely and heart-wrenching.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[autumnia]

Poor Kwong, with the stories set in England and Narnia, sometimes it is easy to forget what else is going on in the rest of the world during the war.

And at least her son did return! (For now? On leave?)

Thanks for posting!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the prompt!! It IS sad. He did come home -- for a little while. I think there are two sons -- one of is on another ship -- they are both in the Merchant Navy. Maybe he jumps ship and stays in New York...

[metonomia.livejournal.com]

<333

I think this is perfect for today, mood-lightening and also sobering, and you are perfection.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I did finally walk away from the TV and computer yesterday. And tried writing instead.

[min023.livejournal.com]

Wonderful

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[amine-eyes.livejournal.com]

*hugs Kwong Li* I love how she is practical and yet recognises that there are so many things that she wishes for :)

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. I keep telling myself, she's an OC... people don't CARE about OCs.. but I kinda do...

[varnafinde.livejournal.com]

"people don't CARE about OCs.."

When they are sufficiently well written, we do.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you!!!

[holstencat.livejournal.com]

Bittersweet and gives me a bit of her life story. Like it.

Love the comment prays to a woman called Mary who buried a murdered son. Never thought of it like that but interesting.