Cotton Plant

Cotton Plant
Everywhere cotton plants (Pokok Kekabu) are at their blossom peak in Okinawa now. My brother-in-law showed his surprise when he visited us last week, to see the variety in Okinawa has pink flowers. He said in Malaysia and Singapore the flowers are white.
I remember my grandma had a cotton tree standing in the front yard. One of my visits there, she told us she wanted to cut the cotton tree.
When I heard her decision, I thought that would be my last cotton tree. I doubt anyone in Malaysia would be interested in cotton trees anymore. During its hey-day, the cotton trees products pods of cotton, my grandma made beautiful soft pillows and mattresses for us. It was that cotton tree that inspired me while plotting novel Pulut Sakura Serunding Kasih.
For sure after that cotton tree was cut off, I never once see any cotton tree in Malaysia. I sort of missed that cotton tree as it brought back lots of good memories of my childhood.
My cousins used to gather the pods and picked cotton from it and filled up sacks of cotton.
But the story of cotton trees in my life did not stop there.
When I moved in on this island, I saw streets here lined with cotton trees. Then, when it's time for the pod to break, the winds spread the cotton like snow flecks in winter.

Tersipu-sipu
buah pokok kekabu
terpancut isi.

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