blue sky dazed
and Confucious’ ways
smell the burning sage
rolling over in his grave
as a west-walking water buffalo
hangs its head low and falls
to its knees
the once-rich carcass bloated with flies
silk road savior
has nothing to say

no news is good news
the official decree
Dao De Jing tarnished by
Beijing’s new bling bling
tin men squared
swiftly slurping bird’s nest soup
oops
this newly painted pig trough of openness
is hard to swallow

bite my tongue
Mao Zedong
beat the journalists
don’t film there!
quick
unplug the internet
the games you play
make me want to take
my little red book and go home

order a shake at a Szechuan deli
hollow interior crumbling
yin yang facade glittering through the smog
new dynasty’s grip on yesterday
choking its people with pollution
same old government
of small minds
fearing their forefathers’ seed
hiding behind the great wall
of avarice and greed

dam the Yangtze, damn the free speech
all wars should be fought
with terracotta soldiers
the People’s Liberation Army
doesn’t fight for the people
young men making war
for old men telling
lies, lies, lies
and the women cry

boatloads of crap
sailing for Wal-Mart
toxic teething rings
let’s Playskool with lead
go back to school
your emperor is dead
along with our children and pets
food for thought?

chew on this
he who hungers for power
must let larger crumbs
fall from his table
try not to dip them in poison, this time
reaching for gold, reaching for oil
reaching for the stars
while your people starve
over-reaching for respect undeserved
have you learned nothing
from America or the Brits?
stupid shits

young girls shunned
many girls killed
only the pretty may sing
your shallow values are ugly
and petty
cinematic fireworks
light up the sky
on opening night
like a Hollywood revolution
that stands as much chance
of ending well
smoke opium much?

all dynasties die
eventually
when the people have had enough
and follow the footprints
of fireworks exploding
o’er the National People’s Congress
time to rise up
feel free to bet
on these olympic mind games
you should be ashamed

baby teeth winning
sets the world on edge
children are the future
if they survive to breathe it
walking four abreast
forever into the Yellow Sea
China will always be red
from the true hearts who never stop bleeding

The Kat