Kampung

I left my heart in Southeast Asia

My spirit still wanders there

Keep an eye out for it.

You might find it in the kampung or by the river or in the jungle

You might find it jostling with the monkeys by the side of the gravelled path

Or sweating in the noonday shade

You might see me in the clearing burning with the heart of an arsonist

A clearing that exists only for a moment before the foliage gobbles it up again

You might see me by the mango tree

Or walking the overheated dog

Or chatting with the retired Chinese film star

You might find me at Murugaya’s

Breakfasting on dosa and lentils

You might find me in Nilai

Handling Japanese and Thai cotton

You might see me haggling with the merchants

Playing chess or cycling with Khiruban

Who never tired of losing to me

You might see me in the isolation ward

Or shopping in the coolness of the late-night markets

Guzzling those Indonesian fried banana snacks

You might find yourself

Like I did

And never want to come back