Cantonese Californian
with the pretty hair and pretty eyes and ugly mouth

You always had to spare us
from the bitter truth that mouth would always shout

And when we forgot
you never held it against us
no matter how we deserved, such

Cantonese Californian
or is it Californian Cantonese?
can’t say I was ever too good with adjectives

It’s like a one-way street in in Hong Kong
who knows which way to, in all that dramatic midst of shit?

The California household
and the Cantonese air
mix together with a twist

Sunglasses, and slanted-white-eyes
It’s you we swore we’d never miss

And as the sun sets–
East-to-West
or is it the reverse?

Never was too good at directions
it’s that ancient curse . . .

And I’d never even known the wiser
Cuz I never studied that charter
Too busy getting over my first!

Can’t cure a disease
when you won’t admit if it hurts

And that’s enough
Because we trust
That you couldn’t make it any worse . . .

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3/2/10