I sometimes wonder how,
when I am not paying attention,
from behind me, like a cinematic ghost,
you creep back into the creases of my skin,
where the sister-parts of my arms meet,
the length of them seeming to break in two.
Stiff like joss sticks burning down to ash,
propped up in bricks laid alongside
a small pagoda, alongside monsoon drains—
prayers sent to gods that send you
down to hell.

—–

Samantha Cheh is a WOC from Malaysia. She is of Chinese descent, hailing from hidden parts of the Guangzhou region and raised in the muggy heat of Kuala Lumpur. She’s recently graduated from University College London (UCL) with a BA in English Literature – she’s a Shakespeare nuthead, and has interests in politics, podcasts and theatre. She writes theatre reviews for Playstosee.com.