john tiong chunghoo (Jan 21,1960 / Sibu, Sarawak - Land with Cat City, Swan City, Oil City and the World's Largest Cave Mulu)

a historic queen used to flip through
my little hands - little square,
round coppers, round nickels
blue and green notes
one cent, five, ten cents
which could buy so much more.
the alluring queen with a dazzling smile
tinkled in dad's foot deep pockets,
mom's and aunties' humble handbags,
and late granny's secret pocket
in the flipside of her blouse as
we little tots pestered them
for things we longed for day and night.

there was brother's unforgettable
red raleigh, the wooden wall clock
with a flying horse that had seen better days
christmas vinyl records, poetry books.

they were all acquired with smiles -
ours and the queen's we still hold
dear to our hearts

the queen still tinkles, tinkles
in our mind all these rolling years.
so many things spill over
from the British to independent years.
topping them would be mom's crown
- she so loves the Queen's simple clean
curly silky crop she ingenously
copies her style to this day.
the queen, the british queen,
she is such a beauty, she would say
everytime she came on television.
and everytime i see the queen, i actually
see two queens and will, always.