Poetry Recitation

Echoes by Liang Wern Fook

Grandad says, yesterday’s locked away in the old building

I cast the key, feel the entire door

Keyhole’s not to be found

Grandad says, tomorrow’s waving at us in the alleyway

I say, ‘Your sight’s failing’, let’s hunt for it

But all we witness is the wind fondling washing on the clothesline

Grandad says, the old dragon’s still dozing at the bottom of the well

I rush to it, lower my head

Witness only sunken time in dead water reflecting my youth

Grandad says: don’t worry

The past is still wrapped in the fragrance within his Jiangxi teapot

Lifting the lid, I whisper: Hey

It takes a while, slowly, before I hear a faint — sigh

Sick by Shel Silverstein

"I cannot go to school today!"

Said little Peggy Ann McKay

"I have the measles and the mumps

A gash, a rash, and purple bumps

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry

I'm going blind in my right eye

My tonsils are as big as rocks

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more, that's seventeen

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut, my eyes are blue

It might be instamatic flu

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke

I'm sure that my left leg is broke

My hip hurts when I move my chin

My belly button's caving in

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained

My 'pendix pains each time it rains

My nose is cold, my toes are numb

I have a sliver in my thumb

My neck is stiff, my spine is weak

I hardly whisper when I speak

My tongue is filling up my mouth

I think my hair is falling out

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight

My temperature is 108

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear

There's a hole inside my ear

I have a hangnail, and my heart is... what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is Saturday? Ha-ha

G'bye, I'm goin' out to play"