He draws a man
wearing a space suit
  When he grows up,
   does he want to be an astronaut?

Then he draws the hands
  gripping to puppet-like strings
   When he grows up,
    does he want to be a puppeteer?

Later he draws the parachute
  floating in the sky
    When he grows up,

"I want to be a skydiver!"

He says,
   whom he
     wants
       to
         be.

Sitting at a café
Marking math papers away
While waiting for you
With a red pen in my hand

You'll find me
I'm the one – the only one
In this café
With a red pen
In my hand

You greeted me a soft hello
Hands in your pockets
Then looking at the time
Not too late for dinner
To the sushi restaurant we went

Dining in
You sat next to me
So comfortably
As I watched the plates
Swoop pass – by our table
On the conveyer belt

Letting my mind wander
What could be on my plate next?

We yearn for all the things,
people and places
that don’t belong to us.
Yet, my heart still yearns for you.

This hand that I waved you at, was the hand that our hands were once held.

I wish you were near me
with me
anywhere we could be

Leave it to the what-ifs
what could have been
what may have been

None other than my love
to endure in silence unseen

The night is my solitude
Where I locked myself up in the room with you and —
Talk about the past, present and the future
In grief and happiness, frustration and calmness

Remember the time we tuned in to sitcoms and cartoons
Laughed our heads off in loud croons
And if we were lucky, we might catch a movie till late
But most times, you stayed up till I get my homework done — which I hate

I haven't been talking to you for the past six months — please forgive me
I met this guy who's nice, handsome and he's kinda funny
Spent hours talking and texting to him while ignoring you
Until that one fine day, he broke my heart — I forgot to tell you
(But you still keep me in company as I weep, falling to sleep)

Stay with me until I reach 65 if you will
Listen to me telling bedtime stories to my grandchildren still
As they're fast asleep I plant a kiss
On their foreheads I'll never miss
My old man walks in and whispers into my ear
Aren't you tired? It's time for bed, my dear

As you lay next to your lover
I can’t help but to wonder
Am I in your dream, do I occur?
Or are you unable to remember,
Shoving our memories in the gutter?

Love, your ex-lover.

You know what I miss about you the most?
Your shoulders

A safe haven – where I could feel the warmth
Right from your heart
I'd always be sniffing
Your shoulder
So I could sleep better
With your scent that lingered
Your arms that I'd always be longing
To embrace
Love in your arms
You had my love in your arms


*But you let go.

Why do we desire for the love that’s not ours?
For you belong to her.
And I belong to him.
Only to bind ourselves in between.

Lizzie's glasses
The colours of
   pink
    purple
     and green
They're round
Made of glass
She sees better
    in
     them

After all these years
Questioning myself, yet again
Was it my love you’re after?
Or was it lust you desire?
In the end, we’re just not meant
To be happily ever after

Girls constructing blocks,
and boys with chopping boards.

Girls driving cars,
and boys wearing scarves.

Girls do pick up a fight,
and boys argue to prove they’re right.

Girls are loud,
and boys are loud, too.

Quiet now, children.
Pack your toys right away.

Boys and girls
Let's talk about
your favourite food,
places and
things

I'm going to record a video now
Look at the camera
and speak
3...2...1

Silence.

One pulls a funny face
The other hides - too shy
All giggle

"I'm ready to say something,"
she exclaims

"I saw my parents having a big fight last night,"

Silence.

She gleams
I cringe - a little
All giggle

I am a lost soul
Picking up the crumbs
My loved ones leave behind
So I can keep up, tailing behind
Wherever they go

I lost every bit of happiness I find in the beginning
Love, courage, hopes and dreams
They are out of my reach

My heart still aches
My mind still hurts
But here I am
Lost – but standing strong
For I am the remedy
Of my own soul