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Illios: Illustrated Poetry of Love and Other Afflictions

In Shanghai

 

In Shanghai

In a market stall

I heard the caged bird sing

A yellow bird with feathers trimmed in blue

She sang for me

With words my heart could feel as true

 

She sang…

Kind Sir for twenty Yuan

You can set me free.

 

For twenty Yuan I brought her home

But silence was her song for me

The tiny bird with feathers trimmed in blue

Watched from cage the sky and tree

No song, no chirp

She shivered, afraid of me.

 

So from window ledge

I opened cage and away from me she flew

Towards the city so it seemed

Towards the market that she knew.

 

In the market stall the morning next

I recognized a song so strong and pure

A melody to break my heart.

My yellow bird with feathers trimmed in blue

Caged again with song...

 

Kind Sir please

For twenty Yuan

You can set me free.

E-mail:  Mike@Mikesjournal.com