Durian By Gilbert Koh Analysis Exclusive -

Koh’s diction here is deliberately aggressive. “Surly” personifies the fruit as hostile. “Stench” rejects the polite descriptor (“aroma”) used by durian aficionados. The poet forces the reader to confront the unpleasantness of revelation. The alliteration of the ‘s’ sound (stench, secrets, leaked) mimics the hissing release of pressurized air when a durian is split open.

The poem is famous for its visceral descriptions—the "sharp armor" of the husk and the "creamy, custard" interior—to create a sharp contrast between the harsh outside and the soft inside. Durian By Gilbert Koh Analysis

It was not the fruit but the idea of the fruit that woke the hunger in me. I wanted to see if the heart could be that way: wrapped in a hard, spiky shell, yet containing something so soft, so sweet, so worth the pain of opening. Koh’s diction here is deliberately aggressive