t h i s l a n d
by Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun

Fading fragments cloak how we knew this land.
Blind takes. Honeyed peaches imbue this land. 

White ships: sailed through graves to pursue this land—
bright crafted words fought to construe this land.

To own this land is to deny its kin,
trample about and shout screw this land!

The dark is lit by gods, weaved in blankets 
over our cold skin—holds the truth, this land.

Quenched by the oceans falling from the clouds,
carved our names deep in the elms through this land.

I took to the waters. Great horizons
made me small. I bathed and withdrew. This land...

We fall, again, to greed; convince ourselves— 
we can take more than we give to this land.

Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun is a writer, honoured with the privilege of calling Narrm (Melbourne) home. He holds Commerce and Law degrees from the University of Melbourne and is currently engaged in a Master of Creative Writing, Editing and Publishing. His writing pursuits include eco-centred literature, theatre, and creative non-fiction. Frankey is happiest among life forms, from the plants scattered throughout his apartment, to the animals and sprawling vistas of open horizons. In 2021, he won the Above Water prize for poetry. His work has been longlisted for the inaugural Liminal Pantera Non-Fiction Prize 2021.

Instagram: @frankey.c
Twitter: @frankeychung