Sit with a polystyrene cup
of kopi-o and kaya toast.
Watch the auntie sweat and smile
as she struts between
plastic chairs, tables —
coin clinking furiously.
Her incredible memory —
threads that link faces, names
in this clean neon
makan place.
Ah Peh says,
Last time got more butter.
By Lau Peet Meng
Quarterly Literary Review Singapore Vol. 1 No. 4 (2002)
33,845 thoughts on “Kopitiam”