US-8 The Chinese of Washington

Eight years out of China

produce big houses

and nice cars

and everything dreamed of

by folks at home

and struggled for

all their life

sipping juice

and over Chinese dumplings

we talk about

mainland and Taiwan

politics and war

and Simpson

kids babbling in English

play noisily

about the house

in the evening

we go to art performance

by a Nanjing troupe

to refresh our

China bond

US-9 Embassy reception

In this corner of our sovereignty

red carpet reminds me

of the red years

outdated China Daily

tells yesterday’s news

a stout lady, a young lad with

heels proudly showing off

over his bent Lazy Man Shoe

a host of friends trooping through the back door

a tall man busy up and down

with familiar facial expressions

too familiar to be worth

any curiosity

US-10 Pentagon

The female tour guide

smart, neat

in her uniform

sexy, robust

her breasts high

very professional

she leads us around

the heart of the sword

feeling its pulse