big ghosts contra
band my diction war
korea's north sees red as
america flags china's chopped limb
british crowns hong kong
cut for duplicity more capitalist than capitalist
trades commie goods
slant contagion
door slam hello hunger
remember japan's occupation
desperate flee inland seeking
kuomintang line as red gushes sweet at first
from north only to double back
in broken glass kneeling
we flay ourselves in dismay
headless corpses fragrance harbour
grandfather costumes jewellery chains debt
as father uncles scramble door to door
against america's abandonment
we dream superior technology
car camera oven
made of butter cookie tin
we joy our small
we praise america
envision a new europe
boots mark us red
double your labour
double the gun
teeth out of mother
tongue all lip left
on body ghosting english
i subject curse court curt discourse
hi normal yeah yeah sure boss
whatever you say
Larissa Lai, "big ghosts..." from Automaton Biographies. Copyright © 2009 by Larissa Lai. Reprinted by permission of Arsenal Pulp Press.
Source: Automaton Biographies (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009)