A handwritten note Inviting me to join them In fear I burned it. P/S The note was trying to convince me to join the communist movement in the early 1970s when I was in lower secondary school at Kai Chung Middle School in Bintangor.

Watching films for free In the town’s Eastern Theatre Childhood Bintangor.

Received a caning Witnessed by the entire school My whole world crumbled.

Born in a small town With mostly Foochow people I became a Ling.

Playing hide and seek We raced in the back alleys Childhood innocence

For Chinese lessons I had to study proverbs Five flowers eight doors

End of each school day My dad came to pick me home In his antique car

Daily Lord’s prayer Before the start of lessons Primary school me

Riding on his bike Hoping for a glimpse of her He whistled his love

He did it with her In the school’s gardening store Sad defloration