Ode to Chobi

Of all rice is chobi,
unpacked from sacks into bin
click, click, click, like every clock-in
tick, drumming are gracious beads
the spirit of food paradise fit.

Is chobi from padi?
Is padi the chobi?
Her festive garment is the colour
of winter
Her lower posture is the zenith
of summer:
Follow the example of her colour
the rosier her colour,
the healthier your journey.

Chobi comes from padi
Padi gives birth to chobi
Much fragrance and forgiveness travels
Much hope and hunger lingers
Every chobi's beat the bin
Chiming days of upbringing
with puddings, barleys
converted rice, basmatis.

Now, comes in chobi's brother
the wholesome wild rice, either
sizzles within water
resistant to the false force
of the wind angel
when troubles blown in
struggles in faith
the lovingkindness, leading spirit
of the gracious Lord.

Allah, the padi petani declares
His sweat
from fields of Bali drumming
from plains of Phi Phi flowing
from rivers of Mississippi nourishing
powered within the mixture
of chobi and water
steamed and added in
potatoes, pumpkins
below a plate of anchovies
winter's blessings
disseminated in whistlings,
niaogao's breathing.

Half a jubilee since my brother's
birth
though rare but is there my mother's
chobi,
nourished with water
after skimming for padi bugs' bother
bark the narrow way out of exits
for your healthier journeys.

Chobi, as I ascend to walk
every morning
in hard work
everything,
my strength comes from chobi,
remembrance of the Spirit's
everything.

Note: The above ode is written in my country's English dialect, Singapore English, a fusion of words drawn from different races living and working in Singapore.

Chobi, Hokkien in origin, means reddish-brown rice, a relative of wild rice. Imported from Thailand and Indonesia, it turns light reddish-purple after steaming. Believed to be the grade of rice full of minerals, chobi is scientically proven to strengthen the legs of all ages.

Wild rice, grown in lakes and rivers, comes only from Canada and Minnesota. It turns dark reddish-purple after steaming.

Niangao (in Mandarin) literally means year cake. Prepared weeks before the traditional Chinese New Year, it comprises of glutinous rice and cane sugar. It is sticky and sweet in taste.

Padi is rice, Allah means God, petani means farmer, all from Malay.