The Changqing Face
First, (whatever you do) do not
organize yourselves into stereo cells
it’s a dead giveaway, people are loud
plus, resist creating the poisonous crowd
Second, do not talk to the bigmouths
even if their conscience is a lighthouse
or the one you want is really the funny wife
they spill the beans you can’t afford
Third, prepare to be shoved hard into a cell
yes, on that old street with the worst kind of bars
with big doors they lock you in from the outside
(5 years seems to be the standard sentence now)
Fourth, (yes this is also pretty vital, so listen up)
know that everything you know will be blocked
so write enough material to last the next 5 years
then periodically trust someone to release you
Fifth, Sixth & Seventh, (this is all important)
the sunshine and the blue sky and the breezes
how your baby looked when he first tasted banana
how you and your wife last made love, aching love.
© 2014 Rob Schackne
First, (whatever you do) do not
organize yourselves into stereo cells
it’s a dead giveaway, people are loud
plus, resist creating the poisonous crowd
Second, do not talk to the bigmouths
even if their conscience is a lighthouse
or the one you want is really the funny wife
they spill the beans you can’t afford
Third, prepare to be shoved hard into a cell
yes, on that old street with the worst kind of bars
with big doors they lock you in from the outside
(5 years seems to be the standard sentence now)
Fourth, (yes this is also pretty vital, so listen up)
know that everything you know will be blocked
so write enough material to last the next 5 years
then periodically trust someone to release you
Fifth, Sixth & Seventh, (this is all important)
the sunshine and the blue sky and the breezes
how your baby looked when he first tasted banana
how you and your wife last made love, aching love.
© 2014 Rob Schackne
N.B. Depending on the tones, the odd word in the title, admittedly an irritating trompe-d'oeil play on the words in English, in Chinese means "evergreen", "sense, reason" or "pay off a debt". (And my case, it seems, never rests.)
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