Three by
Cyril Wong
Hypothetical Elysium
just let us suppose
we meet
in a cottage upon the Elysian plains
and then for all time
would any of it be real
an unchanging recreation of our sofa
my head in your lap
sky leaning into the window
like a masterpiece of sky
your every nod
kiss and soothing word
would it be what we asked for
secretly between sentences now
a recurrent dream
or nightmare made from longing
would any of it be real
Anyway
if our bodies are empty metaphors
gesturing at souls
indistinguishable
from a limitless whole
if all similes are
wishful thinking
looping back on themselves
to strangle vision
if words
only invite more words
to form pictures within pictures
bound by a frame
if suddenly I stop
talking
and you can still tell
anyway
Further Inventory
stars dark flats
grille curtain fan
lamp table notepad
lines thumb pen
bed pillow eye
hair ear lip
triceps blanket thigh
elbow knuckle hip
hip knuckle elbow
thigh blanket triceps
lip ear hair
eye pillow bed
pen thumb lines
notepad table lamp
fan curtain grille
flats dark stars
Cyril Wong is a poet and fictionist in Singapore. His last book was Infinity Diary, published by Seagull Books in 2020.