Don’t Go To Bali Poem by Niko Tiliopoulos

All the Doubts It’s all the doubts I have: the doubts are my belief system, like when a robin comes up close to me in the garden to feed at my side while I dig the weeds out, or when the moon appears to me in an odd kind of way Sometimes in the toilet at work A tap is dripping; slowly, each drop falling down to join the others Each becomes whole again; one In the small wicker basket where the socks are kept there is not always a matching pair, but when there is, it’s a sign and I accept it and know today is going to be fine In the office without papers for rolling cigarettes I search every drawer empty the contents I sit staring at the screen thinking, there must be a half packet, somewhere In the letter tray, under Louise Glück the papers lie It’s little things like the water drops, the robin or matching socks that gives me hope, makes me believe in my existence Sometimes all the lights are green on my drive to work; this is enough for me to smile at the dull brickwork in Belfast and love my life again

I have been asked repeatedly by other fellow PH dwellers about the meaning of this poem. So I decided to post a general reply. I have taught at the Udayana University in Denpasar, and I have been studying aspects of the Balinese culture since at least 2000. Lovely-lovely people! I have so many friends there, and I go and visit them at least twice a year. Thus I have lived Bali from, more or less, the Balinese perspective and frankly never as a tourist. And there is a big difference between what the Kuta or Sanur tourist sees and what the 'real' Bali is. In my poem I am not suggesting to people not to go to Bali because of terrorism or any other bad things that have happened there. NO. I am saying not to go there because of the things I mention in the poem. Now you may ask 'But all these things sound sooo good, why should I not experience them? '. These things are still good, because to an extent they have not been touched by us westerners. If you want to allow them to be good, then just let them be. It is a common attitude among the Balinese that we from the west are the number one pollutant of their culture, and frankly a number of them would 'blame' us for every evil that has befallen upon them, from the bombs to paedophilia to the increased incidents of mental disorders. And to a degree I can see their point. So basically, all I am saying in the poem is that if you find Bali fascinating, please let it be.

Very strong point, and now I'm also glad you did not make it explicit in the poem.

This poem would benefit from including the poet's explanation of why you shouldn't go to Bali as a subtext. The poem would be much richer with the conflict between experiencing Bali and leaving Bali untouched (unpolluted) by tourism.

A real paradox, you describe a magical kingdom so inviting I feel like packing my bags Beautiful writing!

Bali has fascinated me since 1972 when I came across a book in my college library called THEM ISLAND OF BALI by Miguel Covarrubias, an American travel writer who wrote his massive book as as alabor of love in the 1930s, And then there were the Nonesuch recordings of GAMELAN MUSIC by Robert E. Brown in Java in the 1970s and by David Lwiston in Bali in the 1980s (reissued) and I was hooked for life. I haven't gotten to Indonesia but it came to me in Minnesota, The Schubert Club which sponsors western classical music commissioned the building of its own gamelan orchestra and a master musician moved here with his family to teach us Minnesotans to play in it. This has been on-going for over 30 years! Now to the poem: The imagery certainly caotures the tropical appeal of Bali, but the warning NOT to visit - Does it stem from the terrible terrorist violence there some years ago? Is it the fear that a peaceful island was plunged into chaos by haters that makes the writer warn us? I was phsically and morally sick when that occurred, Something sacred had been defiled. That is, a place of peace had been invaded. Right now I am playing Robt. Brown's recording of the Javanese Court Gamelan, the singers are extolling flowers symbolic of Hindu-Javanese philosophy - of peace and beauty.

Niko, this is a beautiful poem, and thanks for your comment of 5/19/2007 explaining why you wrote it. It is much more meaningful with that explanation, and the same could be said about many other places around the world, not just Bali. By the way, congratulations for having it selected as poem of the day on January 2 for three consecutive years now!

Beautiful Poem. It is great to see the poet describe the enticing scene of Bali before the beloved entreats the lover to dissuade him from going there. Thanks.

I not long returned from Bali and after 20 years I saw no change. I can easily wait another 20 years for my return. Though You have brought out the peaceful paradise of Bali in your words so well done,

I appreciate the poem very much after reading poet's comment. Humans have natural desire to explore and enjoy Nature. Only thing as a society we can do is not to offer too many modern conveniences that pollute and spoil natural beauty just for the sake of tourism. Thanks for sharing.