You were once
material
physical
visual
decaying with time
synthesizing with
discrepancy

the permeative chimes of the doorbell
the patter of wrinkled feet
the crinkles that your plastic bag would make
your chuckle
your crow's feet
a smile that matched Ah Kong's
'Say hello to Auntie!'

I would eat your biscuits
your offerings to your few grandnephews
chocolate
raisins
peanuts
savouring every morsel
immersing myself with the flavours of yesterday

these are now just folds in my memory
like the folds on your creased blouse
that were stained by blood
stained by guilt.

Now you
how intangible
how Delphian
how unfathomable
Secrets we once had
secrets for me to keep once more,
unaccompanied.

how funny
how bittersweet
it is to once again return again
to reminisce your suffering

by Samuel Lee