—Poetry by Yuan Changming, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
—Photos Courtesy of Public Domain
FEATURES
for Helen Hengxiang Liao
Not coincidentally, I have met many a person
With a strong appearance of a lower species
For instance, one school mate of mine carries
The features of a rabbit, another close relative
Those of a horse, a colleague of a familiar dog
An acquaintance of a hedgehog, a fifth of a
Snake, a sixth of a pig, a rooster, a rat, a water
Buffalo, a donkey, a goat or chimpanzee &
Each seems fated to fall within or without some
Chinese zodiac year
While my wife often
Looks like a nasty cat, she says my face oftener
shows all the hideousness of a demon, as if to re-
Mind her, like every other fellow human, I was
Born in an extra year of Satan though we were
All created equal in His image
Not coincidentally, I have met many a person
With a strong appearance of a lower species
For instance, one school mate of mine carries
The features of a rabbit, another close relative
Those of a horse, a colleague of a familiar dog
An acquaintance of a hedgehog, a fifth of a
Snake, a sixth of a pig, a rooster, a rat, a water
Buffalo, a donkey, a goat or chimpanzee &
Each seems fated to fall within or without some
Chinese zodiac year
While my wife often
Looks like a nasty cat, she says my face oftener
shows all the hideousness of a demon, as if to re-
Mind her, like every other fellow human, I was
Born in an extra year of Satan though we were
All created equal in His image
Papaya Fruit Fly
GIFT SHOES FROM QI HONG
I believe the pair of shoes you sent me as a
Birthday gift is made of genuine leather, but
It needs a pair of socks & even a pair of
Trousers made of natural, not artificial, wool
To go with it, which in turn requires an
Equally authentic leather belt to tie my
No-less-faithful lower body, including my
Penis that has become softened with age
As with my mind & heart, but despite all
My bona fides, my upper body is clothed
With manmade or fake fibres, especially
My face masks, or faces per se, not only to
Protect me against covid-19, 22, or anything
Else like that, but to cover my mouth
& nose in case I should inhale false air
& spit out some hardened spittle of truth
About life, about the real world. Indeed
I am never sure if that’s your original in-
Tention, but I do like whatever is actually
Genuine, real, true, natural or authentic
While I keep walking along, or alone
I believe the pair of shoes you sent me as a
Birthday gift is made of genuine leather, but
It needs a pair of socks & even a pair of
Trousers made of natural, not artificial, wool
To go with it, which in turn requires an
Equally authentic leather belt to tie my
No-less-faithful lower body, including my
Penis that has become softened with age
As with my mind & heart, but despite all
My bona fides, my upper body is clothed
With manmade or fake fibres, especially
My face masks, or faces per se, not only to
Protect me against covid-19, 22, or anything
Else like that, but to cover my mouth
& nose in case I should inhale false air
& spit out some hardened spittle of truth
About life, about the real world. Indeed
I am never sure if that’s your original in-
Tention, but I do like whatever is actually
Genuine, real, true, natural or authentic
While I keep walking along, or alone
Papaya Salad
SNOW CLAMS
for Li Lan
When I spotted your papaya steamed
With snow clams upon returning
From my night shift at Choices Market
I felt like stumbling happily into
Some heavenly fairy tale. It was real
On weixin, though I can neither smell
Nor taste it. How cozy our home is
On the screen: every day I eat, sleep
Talk with you. Our feelings are as fresh
As the fruit flesh, as we enjoy our
Privacy of love as if within the shell
Of the snow clam. We kiss good night,
Good morning; I work outside to make
A few bucks while you learn drawing
At home. What a virtual housewife! &
Me? I like all your artworks
When I spotted your papaya steamed
With snow clams upon returning
From my night shift at Choices Market
I felt like stumbling happily into
Some heavenly fairy tale. It was real
On weixin, though I can neither smell
Nor taste it. How cozy our home is
On the screen: every day I eat, sleep
Talk with you. Our feelings are as fresh
As the fruit flesh, as we enjoy our
Privacy of love as if within the shell
Of the snow clam. We kiss good night,
Good morning; I work outside to make
A few bucks while you learn drawing
At home. What a virtual housewife! &
Me? I like all your artworks
FOR QI HONG: THE DARKEST ENERGY IN THE UNIVERSE
It’s no other than fear, I well know that, but just
Cannot help feeling afraid you would turn away
From me the next moment, or become upset
With what I have to say, or refuse to answer my
Call, or remove me from your weixin list, or
Cut off all my links to your world before I
Weave your being into the fabric of my love, or
Show no more initiative in contacting me, or lose
Interest in me & my life, or become really fed up
With my word-service, or stop missing me
As your old flame, or fail to pass the secular tests
Of time, or withdraw your affection under
The pressure of guilt or gossip, or lock your
Self up suddenly within the cage of traditional
Values & moral concerns… yes,
I fear you
Would do all such things, one or another, for
Some or no reason at all; I fear you would not
Hold your love for long; I fear you would change
Your heart (again as about half a century ago
On the other side of this world); indeed, I fear
My ugly wrinkled face, shrunken statue &
Softened manhood would disappoint you; in
Particular, I fear you would stamp out my
Inspirations before I burn them into poetry; above
All, I fear you are never afraid of my fears about you
It’s no other than fear, I well know that, but just
Cannot help feeling afraid you would turn away
From me the next moment, or become upset
With what I have to say, or refuse to answer my
Call, or remove me from your weixin list, or
Cut off all my links to your world before I
Weave your being into the fabric of my love, or
Show no more initiative in contacting me, or lose
Interest in me & my life, or become really fed up
With my word-service, or stop missing me
As your old flame, or fail to pass the secular tests
Of time, or withdraw your affection under
The pressure of guilt or gossip, or lock your
Self up suddenly within the cage of traditional
Values & moral concerns… yes,
I fear you
Would do all such things, one or another, for
Some or no reason at all; I fear you would not
Hold your love for long; I fear you would change
Your heart (again as about half a century ago
On the other side of this world); indeed, I fear
My ugly wrinkled face, shrunken statue &
Softened manhood would disappoint you; in
Particular, I fear you would stamp out my
Inspirations before I burn them into poetry; above
All, I fear you are never afraid of my fears about you
Dwarf Papaya Tree
LAST MEETING WITH MY FIRST LOVE
for Yi Ming
meeting you face to face
you seem to hide yourself
behind a fog in another world
separated by the pacific in between
you often look like the flower
blooming on my window ledge
have a blue dream
and you will see a little cloud
drifting around like me
near that borderline
I have packed you up tightly
into my backpack, the luggage
I cannot consign, or sent by mail
but carry it with me
close to my chest
you are neither light
nor heavy, but you will
occupy a solid space
in the closet of my heart
____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
Growing apart doesn’t change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I’m glad for that.
—Ally Condie
____________________
Welcome back to Yuan Changming, one of our pals from far away, and thanks to him for today’s poetry! Yuan first visited us in 2018.
This afternoon (10/30), 2pm: Poetry of the Sierra Foothills features Lucille Lang Day plus open mic, Love Birds Coffee & Tea Co., 4181 Hwy. 49, Diamond Springs (where Hwy. 49 meets Pleasant Valley Rd.). Host: Lara Gularte.
___________________
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—Public Domain Cartoon
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