The Strait of Malacca
by Terez Peipins
The strait churns up
porcelain vases, Japanese mortar
onto the crystal calm
of a kampung beach,
Straight ahead lies Sumatra
Behind, the centuries
reminisce on each street
in many tongues,
Old stories,
old anguish.
burn in an oil lamp
brought up to bed each night.
PHOTO: Malacca, Malaysia, on the Strait of Malacca. Photo by Guillohmz, used by permission.
NOTE: The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 580 miles in length, between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. As the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, it is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. Named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1400 and 1511, the center of administration is located in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: “The Strait of Malacca” was written when I was teaching in Malaysia.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terez Peipins is a writer of Latvian descent from Western New York. Her poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in publications both in the United States and abroad. She is the author of four chapbooks of poetry and three novels, The Shadow of Silver Birch, Three Bonds Unbroken, and Snow Clues.
