Welcome to our second INSTINCTS publication: a free-style poem by new contributor, Kim Whysall-Hammond.
Kim says the poem was inspired by Malaysian folktales told to her by a friend. Enjoy!
Graveyard shift
In old Malay, draped in forest
lies heat swamped George Town
along tree lined avenues
abandoned colonial mansions
forsaken, cracked, diminished
irrelevant to today
they rot in new technological haze
yet from shattered empty windows
evening jazz drifts across warm night air
inside, lights flicker
shadows dance over damp walls
slim couples flirt and smoke
your exploratory visit
brings silence
reveals vacant rooms
missing floors instead of lively dancers
they were the old tenants
hantu partying on the graveyard shift
~
Old hotel, four square and white
now with modern pool and spa
and the original private beach
golden, secluded, sunlit
it’s a long walk
but a short drive
a bus plies the mountain road
past green country and
decaying tombs behind
collapsing walls
the last ride of the day
is often full
today extra guests board
quiet individuals
some tall and lanky
a woman in a green qipao
halfway back, the bus empties
although the feverish driver
can’t remember stopping
his new passengers have
truly started their graveyard shift
~~~
Kim Whysall-Hammond is an expert in obsolete telecommunications arcana
and believes, against all evidence, that she is a good dancer. She has
been published by Ink, Sweat and Tears, Three Drops from a Cauldron,
Amaryllis, London Grip New Poetry and Crannóg. She also shares poems at
https://thecheesesellerswife.wordpress.com/
~~~
If you’re inspired by series and want to give Asian speculative poetry a go, check out our submission details here.
We also have an open anthology submission call for 100-word (drabbles) Japanese Fantasy stories. Submissions close November 30th.
We’d love to read your work!
Have a great week,
~Kelly~
~~~
- Featured image from depositphotos.com (Fatt Tze Mansion in Georgetown, Penang)
INSIGNIA STORIES 