The Weatherman
Where did all the women go hauling their carts up the street in the sun selling avocados mangoes sour apples the ladies who made cơm tấm every day from 6 to 1 now gone the man who used to fix my shoes polish them brown mend the laces for free had a stack of shoes so high he could not see me the fruit lady in the market with the gray tabby cat swatting people’s shoes the food sủi cảo bánh xèo bún cá bún riêu bánh mỳ gỏi cuốn nem nướng where did it all go the Americans French Vietnamese South Africans Brits Russians the Koreans Dutch and Chinese where did they all go the security guards the lifeguards the fishermen the whole collective of Tân Định all the families that sold most of the food the children the people in the park with their roller skates on all wearing their masks just like you asked walking the loop smashing balls with their feet under trees the immaculate flowers in rows the motorbikes the noise the traffic where did it all go and their names Mỹ Hằng I almost forgot her name she sold me coffee and gave me snacks put my art up on her wall the only frame with a picture inside and Hồng who swept our alley every day I gave him one of my shirts he fixed the mirror on my bike do you know their names or when they might be back it rains every day the sun still shines my worst fear is that I stop saying hello hi how are you what is your name invisible clouds blocking out our view of the sun I have never seen the Weatherman have you but I would ask him what are their names and what will you say when you look up at the sky and that big mirror ball is gone what will you do will they recognize you will they even know your name?
Canal Song
Sitting on the canal in a restaurant drinking a beer right before rush hour on Trường Sa motorbikes bicycles passing by at various speeds people going home from school parents picking up their children in Spring it is hot it has rained quite a bit earlier better than never purple flowers dot the now Green Landscape men take down birds in cages left rocking in the breeze scores of motorbikes make u-turns around a small divide into oncoming traffic more bikes more cars somehow it all fits in together like the light in the trees one girl reads on the back of a bike another is looking at something on her phone while driving a lady in pajamas comes by with lottery tickets too dark for her to see inside outside the world is carrying on here they carry one another and look out for themselves at the same time because this is what we have to do what else is left but to take care of yourself and those closest to you what's at rest will remain at rest and you gotta keep going or else you'll get squashed like a bug on the rug of someone else’s dream are you alone does it matter when the tables and chairs aren't moving either who will leave you be when even inanimate objects get in your way standing at arm's length from your demise an old man on a bench twists around sideways watching something in the opposite direction winds back and sees the motorbikes passing by like water in this small tribulation of some River rests with a careful eye turns back around staring at the canal the people in Vietnam carry everything on their bikes water beer mirrors two or three kids plastic chairs each other plants animals cats in translucent backpacks chickens and dogs balancing amazingly on the back of their seats lately we’ve had a lot of relief lifting like a fog light rain and one big storm drenching the city then passing along Rolling Thunder Fire in the Trees an explosion of colors and movement in sound every one tossed around seemingly on the same trajectory but false a pit stop and a father pulls over on his bike places two drops of wind oil onto his tongue his daughter does the same Just 4 Fun then they take off just like that the man on the bench leaves but stops to rest against a sign in the shape of an arrow pointing straight ahead on the wrong side of the winding road depends which way you're going if you're walking or driving living or greeting free or in some cage that just doesn't seem fit.
The Condition
The condition I’m in this earth weather the doldrums sea blue sea busy see busy city snowy mountains blue sea the condition I’m in this earth blue sea busy city weather in my life for mountains I succumb fly swim ride fly swim ride I succumb then fly swim right slowly dissolve permeations of time in time for mediations of time they dissolve I slowly dissolve permeations of time and time I never disappear reappear dirt dust dirt dust will you situate me can you situate me will you meet me can you Have you ever tried then lied Have you ever tried then lied to me to yourself it lets you down every time I’m every time this condition this contradiction you’re in this condition this contradiction you’re in you’re in the condition you’re in the condition on in this earth weather snowy mountains blue sea busy city weather the condition on end whether this earth to sweater dispersed snowy mountains can I weather the earth blue sea busy city weather I live for it in it Have you ever tried and lied to me then yourself you ever tried then lied to me then yourself it lets you down every time every time I react to the reaction and then split I react to the reactionary then split the split the reactionary to react I reacted to the reactionary in split can I divide can invite no but I trust cannot divide no but I trust can I divide no but I trust someday some days will come when I trust no can I divide and split I react to the reaction weather snowy mountains blue sea busy see whether I live for it the condition I’m in for the condition I’m in this earth could they of the earth the condition of this earth weather snowy mountains blue sea busy city busy city gone whether I live for it in it gone whether it live for it in it gone whether I live for it in it succumb to then fly swim right I said come to and then fly swim right there are ways around this problem if you wish there are ways around this problem if you wish if you will if you wish if you will if you wish well if you wish will if you wish well wish you will wish you well wish you well I succumb to it and fly swim right I succumb to it and fly swim right dissolve permeations of time and time I never disappear reappear dirt dust durt us will you situate me can you will you situate me Canyon I never disappear permeations of time I slowly dissolve ride swim then fly come in I live for it whether busy city blue sea busy city blue sea snowy mountains whether this but the condition on in this birth the condition of this birth the condition of this earth the condition on in this if you wish if you will you will if you wish I wish I will I wish I will do not think do not think about it do not think about it think not but rather immerse breach touch immerse breach touch immerse preach touch immerse preach touch the condition in the spirit whether it’s snowing now since busy city weather I live for it in it I summon then fly some of them fly swim rider all permissions that I’m in time I never disappear reappear dirt dust in time I never disappear reappear dirt dust will you situate me can you Have you ever tried then lied to me yourself dirt dust I never disappear permissions of time will you situate me Have you ever tried then lied to me yourself dirt dust I slowly dissolve permeations of time in time I never disappear reappear dirt dust can you Have you ever tried then lied to me to yourself?
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