Desa of Java,
precious jewel of sawah and rice farmer,
your example of the environmental
as you separate and recycle
and with panache stitch sachet packets,
it heartens us that mankind could
eliminate the haze in the sun’s ray,
quickening the spirits of the fields
and of the worn stones of streams.

*The villagers in Sukunan, Sleman, Java, Indonesia, embarked upon a recycling project stimulating interest from neighbouring areas (see The Jakarta Post Sat June 12, 2004, Vol. 22). Sukunan villagers Iswanto and his wife were instrumental in this as was Dr Lea Jellinek, Visiting Fellow of the Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies, The University of Melbourne. This piece was inspired by her presentation at the Monash Asia Institute in April 2006. For further information on the Sukunan project: (see: http://arts.monash.edu.au/mai/research/sukunan/support.php).