Poetry / June 2012 (Issue 17)


Winston and Candy

by Julian Stannard

I was walking along the banks of the River Yangtze
suffused with delicious feelings of cherry blossom.
Winston gripped my elbow and whispered
Candy, one day we could put down a deposit on a horse.
My heart skipped and I was giddy enough to kiss him!

I am Candy and Winston has dreams of being my lover.
He is as loyal as a dog and I can't tell you how ugly he is.
I'm going to talk about China's over-heated horse market.
Foreigners scatter their money. Macroeconomics!
Chairman Deng said getting rich was glorious.

Big horse, little horse, who gives a fuck about mice.
Kung says, I love my wife, I love my horse, my horse is quiet.
I told Winston, Change your reading habits, exercise!
Affordable horses are on the decline! People are marching.
We are millions! I hear horses cantering over the plains.

What is that sound high in the air? Genghis? Buddha?
Now the government is restricting horse credit.
You keep a horse five years, you pay less tax.
You buy two horses, they throw your baby in the lake.
The unflinching discipline of our revolving emperors!
 
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