Once in a blue moon...

Although life can be hectic and tough, but I had metamorphosed once and clearly know there is only one cure that can push me moving forward. I have no time weeping for the past, let alone sobbing for any loss. My recent focus in life is on neuroscience and its relationship with language. Why didn’t I ever pay close attention to this fascinating field? The intricate structure of brain and its related functions profoundly amaze me. I have never thought I would actually buy a neuroanatomy book and spend hours and hours figuring out the complexity of our important organ. I have therefore determined to dive into this academic area in hopes that I will someday come up with concrete methods helping more people to acquire languages effectively, especially students in Asia. Now, the programs at Brown and Chicago seem very nice, yet I might end up going to University of Texas, Dallas, since their neuroscience program intrigues me deeply as well. And certainly, my two good Taiwanese friends live in Texas and they always want me to move there. For now, I just need to concentrate on narrowing down my research area and writing up a project proposal in the domain of neurolinguistics.

I haven’t been back to Taidong for over three years. At times, I miss the blue sky and green mountains and of course the Pacific Ocean. I miss being able to ride my bike on the street, enjoying the fresh air on a late summer night. It was a great blessing growing up in a place like Taidong. My childhood memory is full of fun activities and adventures. When the feeling overcame me the other night, I quickly penned down a poem “Forest of Horror”. I can still clearly see the picturesque scene near the Beh-Nan River and my good old buddies from the third grade. Those fabulous days had long before turned into verdant leaves on the white water of crystal-clear streams in my beloved hometown… The excitement of exploring the notorious forest had always been hidden at the bottom of my heart. And the fictitious part of babies’ cheeks was a mischievous fantasy I got from some comic book I read in elementary school.
I would love to dedicate this poem to all my friends that are from Taidoing or had spent time there or anyone who simply knows that paradise…

Forest of Horror

Stand by me
Bamboo leaves
Dangle down the winding stream
Afternoon rings
Entertainment begins
Every one dashes to the green submarine
Catching little slimy loaches
One bet leads to another
Who dares to challenge the forbidden scene
Marbles tops and comics
All these shall be the reward of bravery
Blindfolded he must be
Walking into the Forest of Horror
Surreptitiously
The sun shines languidly
No breeze but trembling feet
One two three
Take off the shield
Abruptly
Swirls a blast of chilly wind
Everything seems static
Jaws drop eyes freeze
A baby’s bleeding cheek
Hangs in an old banyan tree
Turn spin and we all see
Four five six
Scream push and flee !

Written by Jerski Bjorksen, May 24, 2006