by Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé
into the black, leukocyte-white
that points native, a slavish-vernacular
in red-aureate arrows to underline
[there are sunless worlds underscored]
a plurality of such cursors, needlework-cells
that there is not oneness but a motley-miscellaneous
fluorescent courier-lights across this airstrip-ceiling
stratum alight, white-lying storeys, a rangy league?
the invertebrates ground unconscious
big damask bedsteads, comprisal, total; formaldehyde
and the inhabitant artist dips self-estranged
[old habits die hard for us, timorous too]
the shock effect of possibilities, carousel last-hopes
the waylaying large-scale shangri-la, a body armour
scale these drawings paraclete, intrinsic parities surveying
scale these long limbs, a jump-starting, a move about
the cut of down-to-sizing bricks, of red-tartan mix
this scale is smaller, the ones used at home venerable
put two or three or four together, armistice-white
streetwalking blocks together; and together luck-struck
you get a cottage industry, slowing toile-comfort
[if you go there, ask them for the many any names]
[go quick-unyielding and go easy]
past the dressmaker, his long-low hems a lined kohl
you abet nativity, suckling faith of sorts, nursling-naiveté
[what’s in a name after all, what upscale names]
of countersign scriptures reassigned; scant, chary
but nothing topical or life-breaths or lacerating
nothing liquid-oxygen or astringent
- Share this Poem:
ABOUT THE POET ~
Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé has edited more than ten books and co-produced three audio books. The titles span the genres of ethnography, journalism, creative nonfiction, and poetry, several edited pro bono for non-profit organizations including Sok Sabay Cambodia, Riding for the Disabled Association, and the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre. Previously an entertainment and lifestyle journalist, Desmond has traveled to Australia, France, Hong Kong and Spain for his stories, culminating in the authorship of the limited edition Top Ten TCS Stars for Caldecott Publishing. Trained in book publishing at Stanford University, with a theology masters (world religions) from Harvard University and fine arts masters (creative writing) from the University of Notre Dame, he is the recipient of the Hiew Siew Nam Academic Award, and Singapore Internationale Grant, with his poetry and fiction appearing in nine chapbooks, various anthologies, and over 140 literary journals. An interdisciplinary artist, Desmond also works in clay, his ceramic works housed in museums and private collections in India, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.
Last updated May 31, 2011