Alan Chong Lau


lament

here at tennoji zoo
attendants
try to mate a ram
as idle day laborers
and families
gather around
to watch

he sniffs the female
he nibbles her ear
he licks her hair
yet he is too slow
for the official audience

they carry her away
as he stands
legs on the rail
wailing a sad bleat
of a moan

his penis
a wet red needle
of quivering flesh
agleam
in the sun



the message

outside this dumpster
by my apartment
i find this card
on the ground
that didn’t quite make
it into the trash

on the front
an illustration of
a green reptile
with his jaws
open so wide
that it extends
below his stomach

inserted in this space
are the words
“I
LOVE
YOU
THIS MUCH”

inside
the message
reads
“my dear sweet love,
you put up with too much
of my shit.  i’ll do better.  i’m sorry.
drink this.  i’m sure i’m driving
you to it.
i adore you, i’ll treasure you
as long as you’ll let me”
love always, anna

everyday
i walk down the same street
see the same old woman
from the retirement home
back bent over
pushing into the world
at an insistent pace

everyone
that passes
she offers
the same greeting
like a question -
“do you want
to hear a story
of jesus?”

as she approaches
i always smile
and keep on walking



a gentle dog

this gentle dog
we walked by
each day gone

now, just a leash
left lying
on the ground
and a glass jar
of freshly cut flowers



saying goodbye to mother

in the early
hours of the morning
when colors feel blue,
then green
it’s just my brother
and i

we watch as
my mother
takes her
last breath

a cloud
of warm air
going up
to the ceiling
fading fast

John Levy & Alan Chong Lau: the music of the street

Alan Chong Lau is a Seattle-based poet and visual artist.
He is represented by ArtXcontemporary Gallery.
He serves as arts editor for the International Examiner (www.iexaminer.org).

 
 

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