22
Jan
Fruits Poem By Goh Poh Seng Here
Mangoes ripe, and pineapples bright Watermelons refreshing, on a summer's night Grapes clustered, in purple hue A treasure trove, of flavors anew
But its legacy is more intimate. For the diaspora—Malaysians and Singaporeans living abroad—reading this poem is a form of return. A line about duku-langsat can trigger a Proustian memory of a grandmother’s kitchen, a humid afternoon, the sticky juice on a child’s chin. fruits poem by goh poh seng
So the next time you slice open a durian or peel a rambutan, pause. Let the juice run. Look at your stained fingers. You are not just eating. You are reading a poem. You are holding hands with Goh Poh Seng across the decades. and pineapples bright Watermelons refreshing
Let us peel back the layers.
