Past
under the overwhelming sifting of history
father survived.

Crawled and stood up to become human
a miracle.

Glang Anak, Pauh Catwai had to be hastily
briefly written
as the last will.

Father hid himself in verse
holding in the tears.

The survivor did not have time for literature
but a space for breathing

None dreamed of fame
but a house to live in.

In this house
I was born and brought up
I know metaphysics / practiced writing literature
I will not forget you / I will not forget myself
there is time to contemplate metaphysics, to create literature
there is time to think carefully, write volumes
a dozen times, a hundred times, a thousand times,
longer than Pauh Catwai, Glang Anak.

Translated by Chuong Dai