Ng Yi-Sheng (b. 1980)
SELECTED POEMS
BTBS
Watch out, little fucks, what your father-mother say;
We’re the dangerous ones, boh tua boh suay;
Don’t say don’t like, don’t like don’t care,
We are north south east west everywhere;
Catch us in the schools, see us in the streets,
In the park when we’re rallying for parliament seats;
Call the mata also we won’t go away,
We’re the dangerous ones, boh tua boh suay;
So you built this land, so you pioneer,
So you haolian there, then you wayang here;
So you wash our brain, with your moral ed,
So we majulah under white and red;
So you blur like cock, so you sotong king,
When we run amok, when we will not sing;
Let the cikgu cry, let the cher kaobei,
We’re the dangerous ones, boh tua boh suay;
Yah we contradict, yah we no respect,
Yah we hantam you on the internet;
Yah we do campaign, yah we stir the shit,
Yah we say out loud what you won’t admit;
You can vomit blood, call us yau siu kia;
Tell us anak ini kurang ajar;
But we won’t chitoh-chitoh how you want to play,
We’re the dangerous ones, boh tua boh suay;
And you also know, time is on our side,
You all better siam, better run and hide;
Then one day you go, then we ownself rule,
Then we build this land, then we run this school;
Then we merdeka, then we own the street,
Then we gerek-gerek with our stamping feet;
Then our own see geenas turn around and say:
We’re the dangerous ones, boh tua boh suay.
by Ng Yi-Sheng
from Loud Poems for a Very Obliging Audience (2016)
