28 July Part Two

Starting out at the far point

of my midsummer wander

Down by the Estuary

a journey through forbidden Chinatown

After my siesta

on the lush luxuriant lawn

I leave the massive trees

heading homeward

After an hour at the main Library

where I put up

a wang-dang post,

I explored the eldritch Chinese

district entering as it were

though the back door

Tiger Mom laundry

she has a skull

in her teeth

Chinese people believe

that the ghosts of ancestors

watch over the living

When you are young

and alive you

play it to the hilt

Dig the super-bold "WE"

Only in Chinatown

But then think of the frenzy

of members of the wedding

My life thus far

has been a voyage

of discovery

Better to travel hopefully

than to arrive

A substantial psychedelic

aesthetic spiritual trip

and it's not in conclusion yet

There may be dragons

One assumes the risk

Flags over the old fire house

A type of patriotism prevails here

one that resisted melting

in the melting pot

A glimpse of Oakland

as it was

old house big tree

In California

magnificent trees

The years leave

sinister markings

on its bark

Batman and the rest

Roots like hallucinatory

hands and feet

Fence around a schoolyard

Owl-face witch rides a broom

The Chinese chicken

a savory delicacy

Garage door, like

Wow

Ginseng shop

bring your bankbook

We were Ginseng fans in the seventies,

Met a fellow in Vermont

with grass on his roof

and two oxen who gathered it wild,

I offered some of his stash to Bob Dylan

in Springfield, Massachusetts

on his Rolling Thunder review

I must admit I don't miss

the Ginseng

Chines longevity

no doubt due more

to fresh vegetables and fruits,

Mine as well

Vigorous work

is also a must

Delivering endless supplies

of styro-foam clam shells

as we lose the

calcium-shelled varities

Capitalism

 marches on

Throw in a

 dash of glitzy

ersatz Buddhism

Add

over-weening

child development

and you've got

a successful lifestyle

Where other kids go giddy

the Chinese kid stoically

enacts his pleasure

for the hovering adults

The great wall

of tradition

imprisons

while it excludes

Happy birthday to me

Celebration continues

After a hearty meal

of brown basmati rice

lentils and stewed tomatoes

all organic naturally

Always dug the name

CHEVROLET

it's French you know,

Laissez bon temps roulet

It's out again,

I hop a ride on a

classic green vehicle

Down to old Jack London Square

Our token

socialist saint

The sun of my nativity

 setting in  all its glory

I happened upon a smart phone

cracked and abandoned

Yet it still turned on

So did I

I took it by

the Museum of Capitalism

an artifact of commerce

worth exhibiting

There was a thing tonight

fun and games a sizable turn-out

The man in charge took the phone

and started endeavoring

to reach its owner

I had an informative

if somewhat know-it-all

and slightly annoying

chat with another curator

before moving on

When I reached this point

a frantic voice called  to me

It was the young lady

whose phone it was

The Museum must have

pointed me out to her

Thank you, she kept repeating,

Should have solicited a hug

Weeds by the water

the last rays of the sun

Beautiful but far too chilly

way out on the estuary

I drink it all in

and head back for my

blues radio program,

some THC-infused brandy,

dreams that money can't buy

Next year

the New Jerusalem

the Lion and the

lamb of God

As I drifted away

branches of seaweed

scratching at the window

All images 28 July 2017