Married men

Married men invite you in

to meet their wives before they sin

Wanting you to play the game

of secrets kept outside the frame 

Secret meetings, rendevous

in hotel rooms built just for you

For furtive sex on sheetless beds

without a pillow to lay your head

Sweat, desire, burning hot

and in the moment you’ve forgotten

Stains on walls of previous lovers

who came searching for paradise in one another

Married men invite you in

they think their wives will never sin

But secrets thrive here, secrets abound

even though there are thousands of eyes all around

And there’s plenty of time in a woman’s day

for stealing pleasure in many ways 

Pleasure alone, pleasure together

why shouldn’t a wife have her own taste of heav-e-e-a-a-a-a-e-e-e-e-e-e-n

Married men invite you in

to meet their wives before they sin

But they miss the secret signalling

as wife takes her chance to slip away

To meet her lover for the day

Husband tells you with a wink and a grin

She’ll be off shopping all day long

And the sisterhood's still going str-o-o-o-o-o-ong

Married men you can invite me in

and I’ll tell you I’m more than happy to sin

As long as your wife has the same chance

to play the secret rendevous, forbidden pleasure dance

And if you do I’ll guarantee 

you’ll have a happy marriage and you won’t need me

And I’ll smile as I remember the pleasure you gave

in hotel rooms whose dirty walls held the secrets of us all 

Husbands, wives and their lovers

who came searching for paradise in one an-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-t-h-e-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-r.

(c) Poemsong Jan Cornall Ubud 2007

(c) Paintings  Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

Money honey

 

I don’t need your body honey

I just want your money honey

You can keep your body honey

All for yourself

But I will love your body honey

I will make you feel so sunny

You will feel so happy

To be sharing your wealth

You’ll feel like a million dollars

Everywhere you go I’ll follow

Never will you ever have to

Be all alone

I will make you feel so happy

You won’t let my clothes stay shabby

You won’t ever worry

When I ask for a loan

(Chorus )

You want my body
I want your money

You’ll be my honey

We’ll feel so sunny

Even if I’m much much younger

We will always share the hunger

You for me and me for you

It never will die

You can be as old as leather

We will vow to stay together

People always shake their heads

And wonder why

You want my body
I want your money

You’ll be my honey

We’ll feel so sunny

As time goes by and we’ve forgotten

What it was that got us started

What it was that stirred in our heart and soul

As we settle in domestic bliss

We wonder how it came to this

How our mismatched love

Became to be so strong

You want my body
I want your money

You’ll be my honey

We’ll feel so sunny

I’ll never leave you

When you die I’ll grieve you

I’ll have your money but

Then I’ll miss you

Don’t ever leave me

Please believe me

When I say I love you

I really love you

You really helped me

How can I repay you

Now I ‘m older

But where’s your shoulder

Who can I turn to

When I get lonely

There must be someone

A little younger 

Who’ll make me feel

Like I’m getting stronger

Who can I help now

With your money

Who can I take now

For my honey

But they’ll just want me

For my money

And I’ll be thinking

Ain’t it funny

But they cant compare

With you my honey

And I just don’t care now for the money

Cos more than ever I miss your body

I want your body not your money

But your body’s gone now

In the ground now

While I remember

Our days so sunny

Where have you gone now

Why did you leave me

Forever long now

I'll always grieve you

In our love now

I’ll never leave you

All your money

I’d give to see you

In my arms now

With all your charms now

I miss you so much

My sugaaaaar mommy

(c) Jan Cornall Lovina 2007 
Paintings (c) Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

Pleasure and Pain

Pleasure and pain

Pain and pleasure

Funny how they come together

Pain and pleasure

Pleasure and pain

Just when you thought you were safe again

Pleasure and pain

Pain and pleasure

Like a glue they stick together

Without the pain there is no gain

Without the pleasure

Only one kind of weather

But when you get a taste of pleasure

You want it to go for ever and ever

And when it doesn’t you get mad

And crave the pleasure that you had

But pleasure’s gone

You to wait to see

What new taste is gonna be

When it takes so long you wonder why

Pleasure seems pass you by

And that is when you feel the pain

Of living in the everyday

Where’s the pleasure

Where’s it gone

Why did it only last so long?

Aduh aduh aduh aduh

aduh aduh aduh aduh

aduh aduh

aduh aduh

aduh aduh aduh aduh

Aduh aduh aduh aduh

aduh aduh aduh aduh

aduh aduh

aduh aduh

aduh aduh aduh aduh

Pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure

pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain

pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain 

pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure

Pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure

pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain

pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain 

pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure

Pleasure and pain

Pain and pleasure

Funny how they come together

Pain and pleasure

Pleasure and pain

Just when you thought you were safe again

Pleasure and pain

Pain and pleasure

Like a glue they stick together

Enjoy your pleasure while you can...

But don’t forget to enjoy your pain.

(c) Paintings Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

(c)Poemsong Jan Cornall Lampung 2005, from Archipelagogo

Buy a signed copy of the book Archipelagogo HERE and support Jan's Indiegogo NY Launch Campaign

Archipelagogo is a new collection of poems, songs and stories, penned during my travels around the Indonesian Archipelago in the decade beginning 2004 (and a follow up to the novel I wrote during my Asia Link Residency in Jakarta in 2006). 

Many of these love-song-poems about people, places and the complexities of cross cultural relationships, have been spoken and sung (acapella - archipela) at different times to intimate audiences at literary festivals in the Asia Pacific: Ubud Writers Festival, Utan Kayu Literary Biennale, Darwin's Wordstorm, Braidwood's Two Fires Festival, St Kilda Writers Festival, Hong Kong International Literary Festival.

This beautifully presented book, published by Saritaksu Editions, is illustrated with paintings by Indonesian artist Jumaadi and had its first launch at a full house cabaret performance at Bar Luna, during Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in October 2013.

Take a sneak peek inside the book here. Read reviews here.


(c) Jan Cornall 2014

Pain and Misery

 
This song is played in a marching band style with marching band actions.(Like this one at Festival Mata Air In Salatiga, Central Java).
I can see the band twirling and turning in formation, performing complex combinations. It's a very upbeat feel with lots of percussion,  breaking into a battering samba band feel and rhythm.
The lively way the song is performed reverses the hopelessness of being in pain; the song becomes a celebratory release as the drums beat the hell out of the misery state.

(sung)

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

(spoken)

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)

I want a pill that I can take

So misery I can shake

I wanna jamu just for me

To take away my misery

I wanna life I can live

So I don’t have to feel again

I wanna place I can go

That doesn’t play the misery show

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)

Maybe I can  meditate

On my painful misery state

You think that will do the trick?

Help me to get rid of it?

Breath in pain, breath out light

Mm, not bad I feel alright

Let me try it once again

Now once more for everyone

We think our pain is our own

In misery no one’s alone

Your  pain is mine, my pain is yours

Lets breath in and out once more

I’ll  take your pain, you take mine

We breath out light to everyone

I feel the soft heart of me

Beating in a space so free

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again
(continue as long as you like
until you fade into the distance)

Photos by Vanessa Hyde
Cardboard costume workshop by Rudi Ardianto
at Festival Mata Air 2008,09

(c)Poemsong Jan Cornall Lampung 2005

Lonely in Lampung

 

I’m lonely in Lampung

My boy has stayed away

He’s not picking up my sms today

His fone’s switched off

And he’s screening my calls

Seems he doesn’t want to speak to me at all

So I’m stuck in the hotel room with Asia  MTV

Watching all the cute boys and girls make their eyes at me

All alone in the hotel in a king size bed

And Dangdut Café playing in my head

And all I want to do is get up and dance

And let dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I was lonely in Bandung

And I have to say

Its not the city or the people that make me stay away

It’s just the memory of a love so hard to find

That was taken from me on that day in room 109

When I was stuck in the hotel room with Asia MTV

Watching all the cute girls and boys make their eyes at me

All alone in the hotel in a king size bed

And Dangdut Café playing in my head

And all I want to do is get up and dance

And let Dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I went down to Jogja

On a little spree

And I let my emotions get the better of me

Took a trip to Parangtritus and was walking along

I turned to watch the sunset

And in that minute he was gone

So I’m stuck in the hotel room with Asia MTV

Watching all the cute girls and boys make their eyes at me

All alone in the hotel in a king size bed

And Dangdut Café playing in my head

And all I want to do is get up and dance

And let dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I wanna go to Surabaya but I’m a little scared

That Surabaya Johhny will leave me for dead

And I have heard that Solo is a lovely town

With a name like that

Don’t think I’ll be going down

Think I’ll head back to Jakarta

For a little rest

Being on the road Indo style has put me to the test

But please don’t go feeling sorry for me

Cos now I can dance all the way to the Arafura Sea

Cos I  was stuck in the hotel room with  Asia MTV

Watching all the cute girls and boys making eyes at me

All alone in the hotel in a king size bed

And Dangdut Café playing in my head

And all I had to do was get up and dance

And let music be the cure for my failed romance

Dangdut must be the best cure for any failed romance

Di kocok kocok

Di kocok kokok

Di kocok kokok

Lampung Boy

  

  A Reggae lament

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Why did you have to be so charming?

With your big smile, so disarming?

Where did you get such pretty looks?

I thought that was just in picture books

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy, where did you learn the art

Of breaking all the ladies hearts

Lampung boy, who taught you the skill

Of going in for the Lampung kill

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Watch out ladies, watch out girls

Don’t take Lampung boys for fools

Watch out boys, watch out men

Lampung boy is at it again

He’ll charm your wife, he’ll charm your daughter

He’ll even charm you when you oughta know better

Cos after all if you're a Lampung man

And once you were a boy of Lampung land

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

I shoulda known better, shoulda been prepared

All that anguish I coulda been spared

But when you meet a Lampung boy, you’ll understand

They just aren't like any other kind of man 

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

I’ve been to your beaches

I been to your hills

Where butterflies flap in a garden so still

I’ve been to your expo

Seen an elephant or two

But that didn’t help me to get over you

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

I’ve tasted your delicacies

I’ve drunk your wine

And while that made me feel more than fine

It didn’t kill the sweet memory

Of sitting in a kissing booth

Staring out at the sea with

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy will make your heart stop still

You can never ever have your fill

When Lampung boy gives you a smile

You might pass out for a little while
Don’t worry they will pick you up

And carry you home in a Lampung truck
‘Cos Lampung people are used to it

Girls falling down in fainting fit

Over 

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

This is my ode, this is my hymn

To a boy I once knew on a whim

Who showed me the sights of Lampung town

One of the friendliest places I’ve ever found

Home of 

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lets go back to Lampung town

See who is hanging around

Lets go down to Pasar Seni

Lampung boys you’ll find a plenty

Making music, making art

And doing all that Lampung craft

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Oh how I miss my

Lampung boy

Text(c) Jan Cornall Lampung 2006
Paintings (c) Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

Below: Lampung batik by X-co Ras Mohaq, one of the guys at Pasar Seni, a craft collective in Bandar Lampung, and one of the Lampung crew I travelled with in 2006.
See all the fabulous Lampung batik on his site:
http://batiktunu.blogspot.com.au/

Rich Bitch

 

I wanna be rich

a real rich bitch

If you’ll pardon my French

I’m sick of the stench

Of being poor

And just like you I want more and more

I wanna be rich

I wanna be great

Hope it isn’t too late

Show the world I care

Spread wisdom everywhere

At the same time get rich

I wanna be rich

And I’m gonna do good

Like I know we all should

And give to the poor

Til there’s no poor anymore

As long as before

I get to be rich

So fucking rich!

Rich Bitch Global Inc

What do you think?

My intellectual property

Don’t try to take it away from me

Or I’ll sue your arse

Just wait and see

Cos I can cos I’m rich

I’m the real rich bitch

To be rich is my dream

Can’t be hard as it seems

All the gurus say

You’ll get rich in a day

If you buy my book, my dvd

Drink my juice

You’ll become like me

A rich fucking bastard

 On reality TV

I have to be rich

There’ no way out of it

For everyday I go to the shop

Everything always costs so much

There’s two alternatives that I see

Die or be rich

Die or be rich

Die or be riiiiiiiiiiiiiiich

(c) Jan Cornall Ubud 2005  (first performed at open mike at the Flava Lounge in Ubud and again in 2006 in the show MUM and HER BASTARD SONS with young artist/musicians in Jogjakarta)