1 How far is the market from home; the length of two feet
spurred by rattan canes. 2 Hold your dollar coins tightly
in closed fists. 3 Minimise the un-paring of rice and
vegetables. 4 Learn your multiplications. 5 See how the
canal overflows from last night’s rain. 6 Cats and dogs,
planks of wood, even your mattresses; all things return to
the sea.
7 The slippered will cross from market to school. 8 No
worries for your vocation! 9 Exalt the learned; how to
read, how to write, how to count. 10 Multiply! 11 Your
parents are your parents. 12 There is value in the aged.
13 When of age, you will marry before the passing. 14 If
it is willed, so is the child. 15 Even fish and vegetables is
a kind of happiness.
16 If you wake from a dream, are you air-conditioned? 17
Hear the grand-children proclaim “prosperity, prosperity
fish burger! Full of spirit and delight!” 18 A dream is a
folded memory. 19 Day and night, let us pray for magic.
20 This is a world where fish turns from the sea.
Hartinah Ahmad started writing since 1971. She had written more than 150 lyrics for songs sung by local and Malaysian artists. 2 Hartinah also writes television drama scripts for Medicorp’s TV channel ‘Suria’ since 1982 and co-published books such as ‘7 Tokoh Muzik’ in 2002, ‘Serampang 12’ (2012), ‘Ar-Raudhah’ (2013) ,‘Tafsiran Tiga Alam’ (2016), Ada Yang Berkata Sayap-Sayap Dunia Sudah Tua (2019), ‘Gandoura’ (2020) 4 She was awarded the Golden Point Award (poem) in 2013 and 2017 and 2019. Artistic Excellence Award by COMPASS in 2014 and the Singapore Literature Award 2016 for her co-published book ‘Tafsiran Tiga Alam’ and Anugerah Persuratan Award 2017.
Qamar Firdaus Saini is in the Public Service, and is especially fond of Explosions in the Sky. He writes to remember. His poems can be found in
Quarterly Literary Review Singapore,
Moving Words (Ethos Books),
ASINGBOL (Squircle Line Press),
This is Not A Safety Barrier (Ethos Books), and various editions of
SingPoWriMo (Math Paper Press), among others. His works have also been commissioned by National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum.
