kampungku

my late grandfather built this house
he was no carpenter
he was a rubber tapper
my guess is that construction began in the early 50s
initially built on my late grandmother's property
a dispute over the land occurred
so
atuk had to move the house
two lots away
on the land he owns
and he did along with the kampung folks
in the 50s in kampung pachitan
they didn't have electricity or sanitation
nak baca buku kena nyalakan lampun kerosin
nak mandi pulak guna air perigi

as you may have guessed from this
i do not come from family of elites or intellects
people tend to assume things

returning to this place i left so long ago
now inhabited by squirrels and insects and spiders
experiencing its decay
and abandonment

gives me an overwhelming sense of humility