HeRa.+Maryanne

Wendy's DEJ @Chris Hwa DEJ

The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea - FUSAKO Found Poem by He Ra Kang and Maryanne Cheah

METAMORPHOSIS

She sat there //completely naked// (7), waiting for time. An endless vortex. Or was it perhaps life?

//Thirty-three//. With a full, //slender//, //shapely body// It was simply elegant, it was simply //beautiful// (7).

She //needed a guarantee of safety// (72) Bounding herself to the soles of others, with her worn out veil hanging over her content as it has been for the years Encompassed by solitude, But with bundle of Mischief.

//She had pampered herself too long, // //Avoided danger in any form// (72) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unexpected. Dangerous. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//The actions the night before had frightened// (72), <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shaken, Awoken her.

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Soft lips, crimson mouth, // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Closed eyes //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">and //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">moist restless tongue. // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//Only aware of the parting// (77)… the kiss was Vain.

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then the little flames on her cheek // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//And the string of tears// (78), <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The kiss, the embrace– <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Was not enough to make her confident, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Confident of his return.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fervid summer has passed, and so had the fear. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//Rain// (96) brought winter, Airy and Dreamy kiss, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">That marked the Beginning of a New life, a New breath

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//Affectionate// (141) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gentle //as smooth as oil, as smooth as an underwater dance// (142) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">twitched, switched. Shattered was the wall that set her apart, from humanity. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">and so had the mask, the veil, the silk.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now she possessed //terrific strength// (152), <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beside him.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">But she better be //careful, Never to allude–// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//To the future// (98)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The spaker of the poem is a third person who sees the transformation within Fusako's emotional and mental state as she changes with the presence of Ryuji. The reflective tone of the poem implies the slow changes that occur within Fusako, as Fusako is relatively cautious and thoughtful in getting together with Ryuji. This poem is a free verse, withut any visible patterns, reflecting the unpredictable changes in Fusako's emotions. The main theme of the poem, change in Fusako's emotions and mental state under the presence of Ryuji, and the theme is progressed with quotes that reveal her external appearance and emotional qualities under Ryuji's powerful influence on her. Although the main theme is the transformation of Fusako, the poem alludes to Ryuji's powerful influence on Fusako, and also serves to foreshadow the inauspicious ending of the novel, The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea.

This image of a golden piggy bank reflects Fusako and this found poem in general. Embellished with the color gold, the piggy bank represents Fusako's predominant social status in the Japanese society and the piggy bank itself, which is used to save money, signify the money and wealth that Fusako possess along with her high social status. However, there is a green leaves sprouting out of the piggy's back in the image. This represents the mental and emotional growth of Fusako as she gets to know Ryuji. Even though Fusako appears to be a strong, predominant and successful figure from outside just like the image of a golden piggy bank suggests, inside her, she is a relatively weak new green sprout, that is just beginning a new life - as she encounters Ryuji and gets together with him.

Just as the title of the found poem suggests, the image of butterfly, which undergoes metamorphosis in order to become a butterfly and fully possess beauty, is similar to Fusako who undergoes transformation within herself. Although the change is not externally visible, Fusako experiences metamorphosis in a sense that she becomes stronger under the presence of Ryuji.

Solid chocolate bar being melted, ready to be reshaped and harden into another solidified chocolate, represents Fusako as she changes emotionally and physically. Ryuji is the heat that melts the chocolate, also a symbol of temptation as Fusako and Ryuji take their relationship to a more intimate level, reshaping and influencing Fusako's life.

Water freezes and solidifies into a form of ice, as Fusako becomes mentally stronger with the presence of Ryuji. However, ice easily melts when exposed to even a slight high temperature, thus conveying how Fusako is not yet fully independent, and thus may be weak again without the presence of Ryuji, as the inauspicious ending of the poem suggests.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This image of flower under the protection of greenhouse suggests Fusako, like a flower, is just as beautiful and has to be carefully taken care of, under the protection of the greenhouse – Ryuji.

<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This image of a man exhaling various colours reflects Ryuji's ability to "breathe" new light into Fusako's life, most dominantly changing her emotional state as one usually experiences when entering an intimate relationship.

This image of broken metal chain, which is supposed to be strong, represents the difference between Fusako's external image and her mental state. She appears to be quite strong from outside, but she is still weak by herself before meeting Ryuji - thus easily breaks.

The image of endless rough road reflects Fusako's life and her transformations. From the death of her husbands to meeting Ryuji, she encounters various challenges as a widow, and her emotional and mental state constantly changes and never stays the same, as the found poem suggests. Her unpredictable changes and uneven emotional states are thus revealed through this image of a rough road.

Used Texts

"She became more affectionate, devoted more time to looking after his needs." Pg 141 "She always came upstairs with him to lock his bedroom door and some nights she was gay and some nights sullen, but this was the first time she had ever made a speech about the key." Pg 141 "Fusako who was maintaining a gentleness as smooth as oil, didn't even scold him for not answering." Pg 142 "Fusako's body, as she wandered around the room putting things in order, seemed so inordinately light and her movements so smooth that it was like watching an underwater dance." Pg 142 "His mother's slender, supple hands were falling on his nose and lips and mouth and he couldn't hold his eyes open. It was the first time she had ever laid a hand on him... He hadn't imagined his mother could muster such terrific strength." Pg 152 "The skirts of her dark-blue robe were wide open, the fleshy swells of her lower body looked grotesquely massive and threatening. Soaring high above the gradually tapering trunk was her face, gasping, grieved, turned horribly old in an instant and drenched in tears." Pg 152
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">But there was no doubt that a woman lived there: femininity trembled in every corner, a faint scent lingered in the air. (5)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">But Fusako was determined not to submit, though she knew Ryuji would try to make her speak. She understood that he was staking a simple man's pride on the tears of a woman lamenting the farewell. (71)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Fusako needed a guarantee of safety, or she had pampered herself too long, avoided danger in any form, and her unexpected and dangerous actions since the night before had frightened her. (72)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Then the little flame lit up her cheek and he saw the string of tears. (78)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">They spent the night in a small old hotel not far from the docks: Fusako was afraid she might be recognized at one of the large downtown hotels. (83)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Not wanting to attract attention, Fusako waited in the back seat of the car. (96)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">She confessed how peeved she had been to discover herself waiting for him despite her determination not to. (100)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">"Yes—of course I will. But I think there are some problems we ought to discuss first. There's Noboru, for example, and my work at the shop. Can I make just one condition? What you've just said, I mean—if you’re planning to leave again soon—it would be hard…” (113)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">“Bureaucrats always make me so nervous, I’ll probably just sit there and grin. I’m counting on [Mr. Shibuya] to get us through.” (118)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Fusako could only wait for Ryuji to appear again. (85)