Colin , Another very interesting poem about life in China and the
westernisation. The transition in cultures is made more interesting by the
discussion of the two characters. I like the "tastes like ice-cream with a
pinch of salt" Another intersting poem for me,. Bw Sally
>From: hui dewar <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: newsub/eggshells
>Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 02:23:58 +0100
>
>* shows beginning and end of italics
>
>
>
>
>Treading on eggshells
>
>
>
>
>If you ask me, Jack is still Jack.
>Okay. So his suit is different
>from the Sun Yat Sen outfit
>he wore in Wuhan in 88,
>when I taught him his first words
>of English. He'd always said
>Shanghai was the place for clothes.
>"You look like a film star", I say.
>
>*"And you're trim, taut and terrific too."*
>
>he snaps back, as he steps out
>and steers my arm along
>Zhao Jia Bang Lu. It's night
>and the violet-grey sky lit
>by a thousand neons waking hits
>the extra bit of gold on his glasses.
>I begin to feel badly dressed
>but Jack jokes, or half jokes
>that I'm fine. I'm a foreigner.
>Kudos in itself - for now.
>
>*"Enjoy it while you can. It won't last."*
>
>Tastes like ice-cream with a pinch of salt.
>
>Down in Xu Jia Hui
>the dudes in the ads all look like me,
>light-skinned, high-nosed and round-eyed.
>"I'd rather be bohemian.an intellectual."
>The heroic stance.
>
>*"Forget that" laughs Jack.
>"It was always trouble.
>People judge you from your make
>of suit, or what you ride.
>Take the 21-geared bikes
>when Shanghai's flat as a frozen lake."*
>
>"If Lei Fung were alive, he'd turn in his grave" I add,
> and wonder if I'll venture onto thin ice.?
>"What about John Keats, Bertrand Russell,
> Sylvia Plath, all that?
>
>*"I want the yolk and not the shell,
>and you needn't say
>that you see shell, without the egg."*
>
>Still, it has it's compensations.well,
>the lift attendant pushes back the shopping-centre scrum,
>except for me, and I slip in - a privilege
>received in weakness won't offend -
>while Jack goes on,
>
>*"Old times.Oh yeah.
>like we wanted the opium wars
>imported drugs, concessions, Hong Kong."*
>
>We get our DVD's and leave the shop,
>it's Santa Claus and Christmas lights,
>where Jack ignites a cigarette and smiles at last,
>concludes I haven't changed,
>that he'd like to stay in touch
>before he moves on with the first puff
>of his American tobacco.
>
>
>Colin
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