DARYL YAM
Daryl Yam read English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick.
He has been published in Esquire (Singapore), Ceriph and LONTAR. His poem, 'Change
Your Heart; Look Around You', appeared in Cha: An Asian Literary Journal (Issue #17);
it was a finalist in the 'Best of the Net 2013' anthology, and was also nominated by the
editors for the 2013 Pushcart Prize. His is author of Kappa Quartet (Epigram Books 2016).
You can find him at www.darylqilinyam.com.
Row
i
ROACH (n.): e.g. Fucking roach.—ROADWORTHY (adj.): e.g. If the car's still roadworthy, it can fucking well take another hit.—ROAM (v.): e.g. Bloody fuckers roaming 'bout the streets, who the hell do they think they are?—ROAM (v.): e.g. STOP ROAMIN' ABOUT, WILL YA?—ROBOT (n.): e.g. Walking and talking and staring at their phones like goddamn robots—ROCK (n., v?): e.g. their fucking brains turning into goddamn rocks—
ii
ROCK AND ROLL (n.): e.g. You know, I used to really love rock and roll; I even had a band once, not like your typical garage band types—it was a real band, with a real manager and a real act and real players and really fucking hot lead singer—it was a real band, goddammit, and we were fucking killing people out there; ROCK BOTTOM (n., adj.): e.g. But then one day, you know, I don't know what happened man... there was a bit of a fight, and a bit of tension here and there, and then suddenly, I don't know—we just hit rock bottom, man, we were on the—ROCKS (n.): e.g. "be on the rocks".
iii
ROMANCE (n.): e.g. "Where's the fucking romance, Carlos?" she said to me one day, looking 'bout ready to give up—"Is there romance in this fucking world no more?" she shouted.—ROMANTIC (adj., n.): e.g. "Can't you at least try to be romantic once in a while you bloody fucker, you—!" "Hey girl, now, hey, now, you knew I weren't a romantic—" "THE FUCK DID I KNOW, HUH? THE FUCK DID I KNOW."—ROOM SERVICE (n.): e.g. And so that evening I called room service and arranged for something special the next day.—ROSE (n., v.): When I rose from my bed I saw she had left.
iv
ROUGH (adj.): e.g. It was rough.—ROUGH (n.): e.g. I'm talking about life, dear, what the hell else did ya think I was talking about, the road—? No no, of course I was—what, you think I was talking about the goddamn road? For Christ's sake Jacelyn—I'm saying in life we have to take the rough with the smooth, the bad things with the—no, you're not the—oh God damn it, Jacelyn. God damn it. Just shut the fuck up.—ROUGH (v.): e.g. Just stop crying. Jesus. Look at yourself. No, this, this—this is tough. This is roughing it out. This here, you and me. Jesus fucking Christ. Stop crying, woman.
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