Ho Poh Fun (1946-2018)
SELECTED POEMS
shopping
it’s probably true that
of the two genders
men are ill at ease
shoppingarthur emerging with eight handpicked apples
at a supermarket has been heard to remark—
i never seem to need that many things!and eugene ascending to the third level
on an escalator, in the face of swarming
humanity, has been heard to declare—
it’s people that make the difference!it’s surely true that
on stepping into a shopping centre
a man will frantically head for
the bookshop or electronics departmentif he’s uninterested in menswear
or people-watchingwhile a woman
more at ease
finding more goods displayed
at her disposal
will take her timeeven if the parking ticket shows
she’s exceeded the one free hour browsingmy father belittles my mother
as good only at spending his money
and indulging in frivolous chatting at the shopshe will preach the wisdom
of preservation and conservation
and the evils of over-consumptionbut he cannot stop me
a woman born and bred in this country
who’s long ago learned to earn her keep
and now comes endowed with a higher salary
four wheels and a roof over her headone who will spend freely on things
he doesn’t think necessarywhen at last i go to make payment
deliberating between which
of the two credit cards
i should flash at the countermy father gives a look which speaks very clearly
he regrets having voted a party in
more than thirty years agosupporting a government that gave
equal opportunity for development
in work as well as in education
to daughters as well as sonsover and above being ill at ease
shopping
he’s ill at ease with the New Woman!
by Ho Poh Fun
from Katong and Other Poems (1996)
