Never been to Bali, either

Have you ever heard a salunding?
I have never been to Java,
never seen nightfall there.
But I have seen a court dancer
and known a gamelan ensemble.

I would like to go there with my expectations
heavy from the music of the gongs
the drums, the drums!

Or in Bali, standing before costumed dancers
and hearing the low flute,
slackjawed.

I will abandon linearity.
I will wish to be commended
for breaking free of the machine,
for daring to live
and loosing from the West.

The bonang rings
the suling sings
and I would find satisfaction
as a tourist
(a consumer of another’s life.)

for two days
or three
I will be outside of time and time’s hold
and then I will rush
to meet the plane