pra chow son sum pak chen wan ni

pra chow son sum pak chen wan ni


son mop chi wit high car, lam chi wa pra ong lon pli,

pra chow son sum pak chen wan ni


cha pen ruo cha die, cha hua rock ruo rumhigh,

cha yu pua cha rak chun mod duan cay


cha yu pua cha glau leed cha baal ron ruan pra ong,

cha yu pua pleen sun rak shan pra naam pra ong


From the courtesy of Yuen

A song in Thai

Khaawp khoon Yesu

Khaawp khoon Khaawp khoon Yesu,

Khaawp khoon Khaawp khoon Yesu,

Khaawp khoon, Khaawp khoon Yesh, Nu Mo Zai

From the courtesy of Yuen

Bikes

Dad's given us a bike each not new but shiny


Mum whispers he's been up till midnight painting and polishing


we ride them fast all over the farmdown the road past the store


over the bridge and back again


fast as the windpedalling hard


trying to ignore the feeling that maybe these bikes are making up for something we've lost.

Night song

Every night when Mum and Dad go to bed they talk.

Their voices are like music, lilting, humming, murmuring me to sleep.

Just me

sometimes I like being on my own down at the creek

in the far paddock or up on the hill.


in the quiet I hear everything cicadas chirp, cockatoos screech, bees hum, trees creak.


I lie on my back and stare up at blue.

Sugarcake bubble

Sugarcake, Sugarcake

Bubbling in a pot

Bubble, Bubble

Sugarcake Bubble thick and hot


Sugarcake, Sugarcake

Spice and coconut

Sweet and sticky

Brown and gooey


I could eat the lot.


From: Grace Nichols

Taste of purple

Grapes hang purple
In their bunches,
Ready for September lunches,
Gather them, no minutes wasting.
Purple is Delicious tasting.

From: Leland B. Jacobs

I like cabbage

I like eating cabbage,
Turnip, beetroot, cress,
Very smelly foreign cheese,
And, best, (you'll never guess)
It isn't chocolate or ice-cream,
No, no, it isn't custard,
My very best, my favourite food,
Is sausags with mustard.

From: John Kitching

My mouth

stays shut but food just finds a way

my tongue says we are full today but teeth just grin and say come in

i am alway hungry

From: Arnold Adoff