1130pm 14 September 2000
Moon Cake Festival, Kwang Hwa Primary School, Kuala Dungun
once more around the Moon Cake came
to a windswept school on an eastern beach
but, for me, it was much the same
with emotions yet again out of reach
the parents chatter, gossip, smile,
when round the court they wait for free
evening entertainment trial
and it was here I met Marie
and there, to my complete surprise,
she shook my hand unshakingly
and held on to it, making me surmise
that she really was quite keen on me
coloured bulbs wash every tree
children running here and there
microphone cacophony
of raucous female shredding air
boring speeches start the night
no one listens to the farce
Your Honour, try to polite
I really wish the time would pass
first, children town trek, lanterns glow
this the highlight of the night
then, a less than teenage fashion show
costumes, music, tacky, trite
schoolgirl models now in full swing
get up from chair, and try to peer
but not at young mascara thing
interesting to me is Marie’s nice rear
then, in the course of my thrilling night,
I trek the basketball arena where
I meet a woman, her jeans cut tight,
tall, clean looking, with long tied hair
I didn’t pay, so not too sure
the exact price of the entrance fee
but to keep the fangs from stomach door
we get a plastic bag of nibbles, free
and, as have had no dinner, now half past nine
try a crispy salt tomato snack
that makes my mouth taste of sun bleached brine
must drink tasteless winter melon pack
then big lady mother, small girl in tow
offers me one more packet drink
loving mother, thank you, not now no
smile, and try hard not to think
acrid smell of candle smoke
with plastic bottles burning too
children think that it’s a joke
hoping night is never through
the music sends my mind outside
to a European concert hall,
then cricket, where I thump a wide
my century off a four run ball
the moon now much higher in the sky
the light glazing on the watching sea
allowing me to reflect on why
my hand was taken by Marie
once more around the Moon Cake came
with emotions yet again out of reach
but, for me, it was much the same
in a windswept school on an eastern beach
