Comma Poet

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

The novel is mainly about the forgotten British poet/writer named C. J Richards who lived in Burma/Myanmar in colonial times and he believed himself as a Burmophile. He served as I.C.S (Indian Civil Servant) and when he retired from I.C.S service, he was a D.C (District Commissioner) and he left for England a year before Burma gained its independence in 1948. He came to Burma in 1920 to work in civil service after passing the hardest I.C.S examination. He wrote several books on Burma and contributed many monthly articles to Guardian Magazine published in Burma from 1953 to 1974 or 1975. Though he wrote several books which had much literary merit to both communities, Britain and Burma (Myanmar), people failed to recognize him. The story has two parts: one part is set in the contemporary Yangon (then called Rangoon) in 2016 context and a young literary enthusiast named “Lin” found out unexpectedly the forgotten writer’s poetry book and there is surely a good deal of time gap that led him into a quest to know more about the author’s life. The setting is quite different comparing to colonial Burma and independence Myanmar (Burma), early twentieth century and 2016 which is a transitional period in Myanmar. The writer’s life is fictionalized in the novel and most of the facts are taken from his personal stories and other reference books. It is a kind of historical novel with a twist and it has comparatively constructed the two different periods in Myanmar history to convince readers, locally and abroad more about history, authorship, humanity, colonialism, and transitional development in Myanmar today.

 "Why?" Skylar muttered shivering in tears,her leg were weak and she was barely holding up,her heart was pounding and beads of sweat form on her hair She was looking at the people she lived with for years,her family,he everything "Why do this?I thought we are family,why do this to me?? "hahahaha you still think we are family huh?" Her so called father said "Guess she's still don't know" her angelic sister said smiling sinisterly "We are not your family you are a bastard father picked up to take care of" every word said sank in,she grasp She look at them all and saw a mocking look "This….this can't be" she muttered and felt a warm liquid on her lap,it went down to her leg she look at her leg and her face turn ghastly "My....my baby" she cried out All she heard around her was their laughter She cried out,clutch her tummy but she knows her baby was gone that killed her baby Her's and Leon's baby,and she lost it at that moment,she felt an undefeatable energy,her eye turn red  "I will kill you all!" She yelled and rushed toward her sister "Mom!!" Her sister screamed in horror "You bastard" her father dragged her hard from her sister and she lose energy from her leg,she was pushed "Ahhhhhh!!" She screamed in horror,she felt unexplainable pain,her body rolled down the stairs at that moment she knew she was gone She tried to fight her eyes open but it not working and after a while she black out        Skylar woke up from comma with no memories She suddenly got a husband and family what happens when her family is not what she thought they are