♂
I watch a put out washing bamboo morning,
the cut grass, bowl with dhobi, wood pegs hang,
the sun attracts the fly, and bulbul gang.
Then, with hack mist cologne, I went away.
♂♀
I watch a run-down, rough-street, bumpy morning,
abandoned broken go-cart track, the empty row
up for sale, just crash-bar earth-sink tyres grow.
Then, in misery, I went away.
♂♀
I watch a jumpy, terror no-want morning,
rubbish lorry, cake house, book shop, Pok Eng Tin,
corner, bus stop, new shop housing, we pull in.
Then, in absent negligence, she went away.
♂
I watch a roaming paper-broadsheet morning,
walk with big bag, tight entry where news is caught,
business, unit trust, east coast, sports report.
Then, in chunky brown arms, he went away.
♂
I watch a teeming bag of rubbish morning,
the pavement pick up of jam-pack waste last night,
the chock-a-block bag, thrown to lorry’s height.
Then, in Town Council kit, he went away.
♀
I watch a purple health care worry morning,
take my card, then pace gloomy what’s-wrong chart,
acne, bone, cholesterol, muscle, heart.
Then, in baju kurung chic, she went away.
♂
I watch an orange wet wipe swabbing morning
mop my pelt in doctor’s grip; swollen, raw,
the plunging hurt from oozing crust to core.
Then, in cutting new gauze, I went away.
♂
I watch a council worker plant clean morning,
the concrete box now neat trim in centre flow.
There, premature wooden shop owners go.
Then, in Cephalaxin hope, I went away.
♀
I watch a motorbike hush back lane morning,
tight breakfast rubber band, with carry care,
to take an hour away from dentist chair.
Then, in tudung elegance, she went away.
♂♀
I watch a lay-by bus stop waiting morning,
a young buck and his girl, with bearing, bear
in poignant way, the exhausting am air.
Then, in key ignition quake, I went away.
♂♂
I watch a general chitchat layback morning,
two Malay men read, at ease in open air
by wooden shop, the news of here and there.
Then, in roar annoying noise, I went away.
♂
I watch a garden refuse bucket morning,
hobble up bird lane to light up where
high tree with raucous birds meet combat air.
Then, in weary trying stroke, he went away.
♀
I watch a tight jeans army yes-Ma’am morning,
pen scratching, scoring, writing full amount,
a punching calculator button count.
Then, in tank-top U2 green, she went away.
♂
I watch a hot soup sunset cook into night,
white potato, ginger, carrot cutting trim,
wintry lettuce, upmarket guava rim.
Then, the thrusting main pipe water went away.
♀
I watch Malay tuition teach into night,
a hand wash shower, new clothing, tied back hair,
take plate away, goodbye, lounge table bare.
Then, the grubby, titbit remnants went away.
♂
I watch Malaysian birdlife peck into night,
oriole, robin magpie, iora: tame
poking garden bird I still don’t know the name.
Then, the picture Laurence Poh caught, went away.
