It’s a Thursday night at the Gaslight Cafe in Kuala Lumpur, and the place is packed to the rafters. Loud chatter is in the air: drinks are being ordered at the bar, and the usual catching up is taking place. But the place soon turns quiet, as all attention is drawn to the back of the room, where poets are stepping up to speak.
It’s a regular scene at If Walls Could Talk, a monthly spoken word and poetry open mic event that’s been going strong since 2015. (The main image above is of the judging panel at the 2018 Youth Poetry Slam, organised by Poetry Cafe KL. Photo: MIKO ONG)