I wake to morning’s touching paw
terrace light through window’s core
to find out that it was only four
a pre-bleep-switch-on-washing May
I don’t want sleep to re-appear
rub wife’s thigh, quick scan her rear
turn and put my leg, thigh near
a warm-back-groaning-Ai-Hwa May
Nine thirty, time for young Yi Qin
adjective and pronoun win
mistake; an unembarrassed grin
a don’t-want-pronounce-the-last-t May
Ten thirty, now Miss Hew in place
to read about the sordid race
to get a berth, the two embrace
a sail-to-get-a-new-life May
Reliance girl, bare thighs again
tourist, ticket, aeroplane
airline, airport code explain
a watch-discreet-the-bare-skin May
Tee-shirt, brief shorts cut up high
force myself to look at thigh
tomorrow, kampong eggs, buy-bye
a try-to-keep-my-hands-off May
Two laughing girls from two to three
Year One, in Kwang Hwa Primary
read ladybird three A, three B
a fish-can-see-you-jump-boat May
They count and spell from zero, one
to hundred; then, they think it fun
go on to thousand, ten million
an-even-odd-count-number May
Young boy, young girl get numbers right
they cotton on, quick, eager, bright
then animals that sting, kick, bite
a sniff-cough-swallow-new-word May
Piano practice, time to go
andante, pianissimo
You finish theory homework? No
An-angry-Hong-Ying-teacher May
Thick foliage of itching gnat
palm, hibiscus, hang and chat
hosepipe bathes on dry grass mat
a-morning-clear-sky-garden May
A Chinese pattern plate tau fu
a glass of tea, or maybe two
ten centimetre fish, crisp through
a-whole-grain-hot-rice-cabbage May
Poor tired car in pm heat
fending off the sun’s harsh beat
keropok, goring pisang treat
a-Macik-tea-time-chilli May
Binti bed, boy party, out
wife away in catwalk pout
from fridge, a few small cold tins rout
a-fan-no-use-in-warm-air May
To basketball, she’s going when
the sun beats low on concrete, then
they’ll finish playing round, maybe, ten
a-slam-ball-jump-net-get-point May
8 May
A cicak on the front door frame
I like to think perhaps it came
to show off to me its hunting game
a-sticky-no-fall-eat-fly May
Polish, scrabble, toss ashtray key
a rough array in front of me
I lounge in equanimity
a-lazy-evening-dumb-brain May
In top hat, bow-tie men go through
the flower bistro avenue
a gallant Comment allez-vous?
a-picture-old-time-Paris May
Two pictures on lounge wall she hung
new morning glory bell-mouth rung
calligraphy by one Ben Ch’ng
a-brush-stroke-Chinese-painting May
With the hatchet, garlic chop
watch cabbage boil full to the top
the soup in a rumba bop
a bubble-burn-hot-oil May
Car port, night light, thanks to me
number plate, 4-0-3-3
now rusting regularity
a poor-antique-white-Proton May
21 May
Cut orange, yellow flowers, bring
in colours that would grace the Qing
I jest. But think the thought’s the thing
a Pontypool-warm-gold-ring May
Two raucous, brazen, big birds ‘whaoh’
high up in the front palm tree bough
wife ends the sleeping session now
a headache-tablet-drowsy May
