To Be Rich Is Glorious

In Qufu where the master was born
a bridegroom can have his honeymoon sooner
with Ling who loves karaoke bars
on red lantern nights before the next wedding,
reminding all the American business
her name means swallow, the bird, of course,
and knows enough of their white devil English
to wink while mouthing a long neck beer.

From inside a doodad stall it seems
Confucius and Lao Tzu statues are frowning
at t-shirts for sale across the street
that hang on a tree a huckster tells tourists
is, but isn't, a ginkgo biloba
on which Chairman Mao once hanged a duke,
and if I lift a dollar from my pocket,
he'll show me the photo to prove it.