Imagine If // A Poem by Sapardi Djoko Damono

           Imagine if what you see in the mirror this morning 
is not your face but the bird that flies in the cloud-spattered
sky, scattering the wind through its feathers; 
           imagine if what you see in the mirror this morning 
is not your face but the cloud that watches the bird as it
plunges into our city and flaps the factory smoke from its
feathers; 
           imagine if what you see in the mirror this morning 
is not your face but the rambutan tree in your courtyard
that lures the bird to perch on its shoulders; 
           imagine if what you see in the mirror this morning 
is your own old face that remains unchanged even though
you keep on peeling it fiercely layer by layer each and every day.

Sapardi Djoko Damono was born in Solo, Central Java and studied English Literature. I chose this poem because it includes vocabulary that links and informs you about Indonesian culture. The final stanza of this poem makes me wonder if the author is wrestling with racial diversity, which is also why I chose this poem. I find "Imagine If" to be a challenging poem that encourages readers to think deeper about Indonesian culture as well as grapple with their own 'mirror visions'. I appreciate the depth of this poem and how subtly it introduces Indonesian culture. 

http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/poem/item/16165/auto/0/IMAGINE-IF