Poetry at Sangam

Poetry at Sangam showcases poetry in English and translations as well as essays on poetics and news of new releases.

THREE TYPES OF QUEUES by Chow Teck Seng

those who queue
in a straight line
look anxiously forward or up

but often the line bends,
and those pushed forward
fall like projectiles

in a queue, most only see
but do not hear
one another

those who do not look but listen
fail to read each other’s
eyes, and miss the point

what you’re talking about is kindergarten
kids holding hands in two single files

while I mean the long coffeeshop queues
jostling to buy delicious food

and for him it’s about every single soul
lining up to pass the gates of life and death
at the other end.

 

(Translated from Chinese by Alvin Pang & the author)

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