Tokyo

Bloody summer—night—
Heat—
We were all charmed
By the city lights (all
But me—I felt dreadfully
Disoriented) in this giant bug-trap
(Home of manufactured plastics—dolls, 
They blinked their eyes at me) dancing
To the bee-dance, we all skipped to 
The rhythmic skyscraper-high heels
(Tapping through shopping malls). 
Girls painted themselves
In colours (the dirt
Stuck to their faces like masks—used 
To be white, now beaming into
Chlorine-blue eyelids—that 
Flapped open and close
To see the clay-shaded hair). 
They hung by the street lamps (the lampposts
Fluttered in shyness) like merchandised
Advertisements—youth 
Splattered through the neon sky
Like fireworks—and 
I entered the night in
Primitive temper.

Dale Chou
2001-08-13