Phu Quoc Island

from Chai: Travel Poems by Marc Nair feat. Neon & Wonder

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lyrics

Phu Quoc Island

On the isle of fish sauce, motorbikes
churn the roads. The sun brings a smile
and sand-flies leave their calling cards.

I climb a rocky outcrop and watch
islanders strung together like Roman galleons,
urging a beached boat off a sandbar.

Behind me a monk plays on bells
and flutes, a saffron soundtrack of clouds
against the crowd billowing below,

strewn like confetti. At dusk,
the beach colours with locals surging into water
fully clothed; falling up and down with the

breaking waves. They wash away
the dust of the day, needing the
strength of an ocean to return to.

They yell for me to join them,
and it is difficult to say no.

But my
camera,
my clothes,
my heart
are not waterproof.

Too easy to drift with the tide,
much more difficult to clamber back
to the dying light on shore.

Today,
the electricity will be cut for 14 hours
to save on the power bill.

I eat dragonfruit and durian by candlelight,
shower to the drone of insects
and the sharp fish smell of the river, then

take a walk in darkness for wanton soup.
This may be the night when the stars are clear,
skies are deep and God is close.

The pavement is broken to gravel,
but the children are still smiling
as they shout from darkened doors.