armed with their hideouts & slingshots & smiles they gather at nightfall beside a rocky river road to compete in monied contests dodge tuk-tuks & flurries of laughter now pulling the notes from their pockets & placing them on the road’s river brown & then throwing their thongs from line-marks towards jackpots of fluttering notes…

depressed as the prices no longer deluded by smiles passing signposts kilometres coming no closer to what were once called destinations – border crossings & pass-outs different games same rules waiting for the photo-op that might make the cost of the ticket worthwhile – low season, last days & the promise of last rains again…

in bundles my friend! in every pocket! stuff those notes! hang the exchange rate! just get out there & start handing it over! spend it daily! spend it gaily! but wait – there’s more! it’s all for sale! everything must go! clothes looks lifestyles – out the door! but wait – there’s still more! you…

under the pavement, laos in dissent: a skin full of worn bones, the footprint’s masseuse, a fist full of pavements & laos under laos, the mekhong’s predictions: swallowing bombs, reeking dimly of lao beer on a menu full of laos & mekhongs under the mekhong, the current’s advance: upon an unknown beach, a silent chorus,…

ah! luang prabang ancient capital unesco world heritage magnificently preserved in pristine condition please bring cameras film & kleenex for the mop-up /click! & we’re off through the view-finder: monks kiddies grannies trannies ripe for developing when you get back to your secret laboratory national geographic are definitely interested oh i’m spent! /i’m spent again!…

cock & football! it’s time to get up & don’t those horny roosters know it! cock & football! cock & football! around the brown river bend here comes dawn’s breaker rise & shine cock & football! cock & football! cock-a-doodle-do! it’s morning once again & don’t those poor hens know it! cock & football! your…

visit laos & bring your wheelbarrow pretend this isn’t communism gone nuts ignore the poorly-organised protesters turn a blind eye to the fall of the wall incarcerate yourself in a capitalist prison you’re lucky to have been arrested here now there’s nothing left between you & the socialist state’s caring attitude towards intellectuals & slogan-dodgers…

standing at attention a column of white gums awaits its commander’s final orders – over the top! down the embankment! secure all garden plots & fish traps! then down the mekhong we go – all in a row sir yes sir drowning at attention sir ye loyal diggers /saplings planted when? & for what strange…

baht (t): thai unit of currency (in 1999 1 baht= AUD 0.25) chao le (t): sea gypsies chao phraya (t): the river that flows through bangkok cock & football (l): a lao brand of rolling papers farang (t): any western (read: white) person or tourist karen (t): one of the indigenous hill tribes of northern…