Hong Kong 1938

Paper Tiger, Paper Moon,
the Year of the Pig is gone too soon.
The hell money burns
to bring good joss;
boys at the godown
play pitch and toss.
Smell the Diesel, smell the piss
Kowloon City was never like this.
The doctor paints on
plant fiber paper
lights more incense
with a tallowfat taper.
Light the lantern, light the fuse;
bold firecrackers for the New Year's news.
Baby in the gutter,
food for the rats,
sewer on the surface,
lucky black cats.
Gweilos shouting, gweilos drunk,
two-dollar kai-tai swallows their spunk.
Down on the dock side
another one dies
cold alley hides her
from the oval eyes.