Heng Siok Tian (b. 1963)
SELECTED POEMS
Teochew Phrases: Down Under at Prahan Market (Established 1890)
Melbourne, Australia, 2016
“Scoop rice to barter for potato.”
At Prahan Market
I saw Singapore orchids sold at six dollars a bunch,
colourful crates of fruits and veggies priced by per kilo.
I never cared about prices back home
when I trailed behind mother for her weekly trip,
merely waited for her at our regular beehoon stall,
eating my standard plate with fishcake
as she chatted cheerfully with each owner.Mother was the real businesswoman
handling research in the purest fashion.Her sharp math, crisp gossip
straight from the wok like deep fried you tiao,
her updated price list from perishables to property
all in her head
while mine was a sieve.Unschooled
she mastered more than I could.
by Heng Siok Tian
from Grandma's Attic, Mom's HDB, My Wallpaper (2021)
