a queer hour. not even sure where

the club door is a nebulous surging

erupting on the dance floor

not sure where i end and where

you begin the tense of your spine

like a coil spring for me wildflower

do not stare in that sad direction

your gaze on me electric the sequins

sparking my forearms pink

don’t stop i want to keep dancing

the green glow of the exit sign a lost

moon lurching through these fickle walls

your lipstick melting on my shoulder

don’t stop swaying don’t

fear we will never get out of here

Note: Lines 7 and 14 are adapted translations from Hikari Mitsushima and Shinichi Osawa’s song ‘Labyrinth’.

Jessica Chan (she, her) is a writer of poems and short stories. Her work has appeared, or is forthcoming in Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, Proverse Prize Anthology 2020, opia and others. She is a recipient of a Hong Kong Top Story Award in 2012 and 2014 and has been recognised in the Tower Poetry competition. She is currently studying a MSt in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge and divides her time between Hong Kong and London. Find her on twitter @awildjesswrites.