An Arabic poetry lesson in Jakarta

for W.

I just know he
scooped this baby
off the floor of the
detention centre
caff. Make
your similes small
so as not to attract
trouble. After a
life sentence, you
know a good rule
will save your ass
if not your bathos.
A boat choking on
its own load, in a
storm of no god
damn covenant,
sixteen survivors
and he says ‘it was
like a spoon. A
little wooden
spoon in the water.’