Our Hometown in Poetry

After seeing this photo I remember meeting Jevon's 1^st uncle (the guy in the middle) many years ago at eldest sister's wedding, where I was the “official” photographer.  I bumped my head against the altar on the front porch of our farm-house, while maneuvering for a better shot. 

“Dangerous work,” He said. 

“Professional hazard.”  I said and realized immediately how hollow it sounded.  As a young man I was too eager to impress him with big words.  He was an intellectual, I was a “nobody”.  I wasn’t anywhere in the horizon of being professional.  I was just enjoying all the action with a camera, using it as a passport to move around among the guests and relatives.  Otherwise I’d have to keep saying ‘excuse me’.  Unfortunately, the chinese "dui pu zu" in Hokkien was seldom used in our northern zone.  ‘Sorry’ is also English word….to say that in Hokkien you try ‘Solly’. 

 

Later Jevon’s mum showed me a book of his poems.  I remember the title which went something like “Love – in Search of Moon-waves”.  I quickly copied some of the poems because I had to return the book to her.  It belonged to her sis-in-law.  I guess it was the only copy available this side of the globe.  I wonder if he still writes poetry.  Here's one of my favorites.  Especially proud someone wrote about our hometown in a poem.

 

Tanjong Bungah

 

A crab side-stepped

Out of his hole

Questioned the bright moon

Hurried into his dark

Satisfied

The sand was quietly white

Except for wood

Rubbing wood

From boats tied too

Near the quay

Fish nets vague and empty as

The moonlight

Stood limp

I flung a spikey shell

At one

It dangled

Plunged into the sea

Rippled concentric circles

Of loneliness

Into moonlight darkness