Imperial Ghetto
Carrie Chang
We were haranguing for hours,
About symphony, and beach-bums,
And China-women in long-johns,
Flirting with the outskirts of
The moon; mother was disappearing
Into the reflection of a Tang Dynasty
Imperial porcelain spoon; gab-heavy,
We chowed all night, on goupy-parsley,
And cum-cum words, that mandarin
Rain shower was full of crystals,
Outstanding mind-benders,
And paper birds; just like a trellis,
That stopped at Ellis, I move
Into a flowery trance,
A plum tree bloomed in
My backyard, and my lawdy
Shitzu is learning to dance
Carrie Chang is the self-published author of Two Shades of Regret, Laundromat, If Gretel Were Chinese, and Fairytale Origami. She resides in the Bay Area, enjoys the taste of ornamental jellyfish and dragon cider, and is the editor of this fine journal, which is in its fifth year.