In the Lands Where They Sleep

Poem in English and Kristang, written at Poesiaeuropa 2023

Ja susudeh ung tempu
kora eli ja naseh nubu—
the one they did not understand.
The one whose meaning was occluded from them
—and yet was as clear as sea is from land.

Do you need to believe
in a higher power? Not necessarily;
you just need to observe the exact Gaussian distribution of the flowers
to know that what is there is there.
To know that the leaves and the branches
are real. Not something that has been made
ornamental. Or shaped to look like something
natural. However

you cut him,
he grows back. It is the world within
that he talks about that matters.
This poem understands your drive to win

because value and uniqueness are just so extremely rare
in your particular country of origin—
or so you think.
Or so, as has been said, you believe.

When you truly awaken,
that is when you will realise
that the apple really does not have to fall
that far from the tree.

That while it seems that we all still might slumber
it really all depends
on your definition of dream.