Tag: laos (page 2 of 5)

the postman of kowloon

given the unenviable task of delivering
mail in a cantonese walled city charged
with entropy & chaos criss-crossing its
aerial corridors conduits they call them
linked towers that change positions days
how the garbage piles up forming strata
to be studied by future archaeologists -

he can never decipher the old city's next
move & remains astounded by the most
innocuous envelope's habit of finding a
home scratching out addresses or the
deceased another day a map to discard

notice how randomness thrives within
the most carefully chosen boundaries

Non-Touristic Trek

COME & SEE THE HILL TRIBES PLOUGHING
UP THEIR OPIUM FIELDS IN PREPARATION
FOR NEXT YEAR’S CROP OF NESCAFE! THIS
TREK HAS BEEN APPROVED BY BOTH THE THAI
& US GOVERNMENTS ALONG WITH JOINT
MILITARY EXERCISES IT WILL CONSTITUTE
THE MAIN THRUST OF THEIR WAR AGAINST
DRUGS NO RAFTING ELEPHANT HIKING OR
SOUVENIR-SHOPPING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
JUST A WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THIS ONCE
IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN A NON-
TOURISTIC TREK I REPEAT THERE WILL BE ONE
TREK ONLY – AFTERWARDS THE ENTIRE REGION
WILL BE DECLARED “FREQUENTED BY TOURISTS”
& CLOSED TO ALL NON-TOURISTIC ACTIVITIES
THUS CAUSING A MASSIVE RISE IN BOTH PRICES
& TOURIST NUMBERS HURRY THIS IS YOUR LAST
CHANCE TO SEE UNTOUCHED & AUTHENTIC HILL
TRIBES IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT!
REPEAT: ONE TREK ONLY! ENQUIRE WITHIN!
CREDIT CARDS WELCOME!

The Chao Le

housed in two human zoos constructed
for their survival’s sake on the east &
west coasts of koh lantah it’s good to know
that the chao le are still allowed to play
football on the beach at low-tide its wave
sounds mimic the crowd-roars of wembley
coming down the supermarine cable all
the young men & boys clip their finger &
toenails in preparation for the referee’s
inspection tomorrow they will collect these
clippings & together with various haircut-
offcuts launch their offerings upon the
andaman sea in a special wooden boat after
which they gaze longingly half-hoping the
tide will bring it back knowing also that
some small part of themselves has escaped
both the zoos & the fickle sea-spirits’ protection

Takraw Monkey

my name is mud as in good i help you with
thai translation i am monkey & i am crazy
good at takraw & at takraw kicks—do you
see me where i practice? yes? at the beach
with a ball of flotsam-styrofoam & a piece
of string tied to a tree so i can kick & jump
like a crazy monkey there is no end to my
energy for the game & no one can tell what i
am thinking at any given moment - monkey!
ha! your name? david? david beckham? ha!
football!—takraw!—monkey!—you think i'm
crazy? i am mud as in good—good at takraw
see you next year you want sprite? 1000 baht!
yes! you want room? 1 million baht! yes! time
to practice again! & off he goes into the innocent
night—relax bay thailand keeping the peace

Oh Blossom

come here blossom fall down
here on my lap & let me
run my fingers through your
delicate pink petals the way
you used to like it in spring-
time when you were all in
bloom oh blossom remember
every season is another reason
to love you tender blossom come
on back over here don’t let
the wind blow your fragrance
in another direction blossom
let me be the lucky little bee
climbing ever so carefully
towards your sweet sticky
centre oh blossom who’d dare
pluck your perfect beauty?