| If You Can’t See Me, I Can’t See You (sign at the back of a truck) |
| by Changming Yuan |
Gemini Magazine
_______________________
Outside the picture, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
Under a pile of words, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
Behind a big truck, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
That is, since I drive in front of you
If you want to pass but can’t see me in
My driver’s seat, or in my front rear mirror, you are
In my blind spot, so don’t follow me too closely, don’t
Try to pass me, but stay calm behind my shadow
Otherwise you would kiss my big ass in a bloody way
And so, when you communicate
Wait and make sure you see the right person first –
That’s for your own safety, pal
When you are dating, dancing, cursing, playing or fighting
It’s best to have the real person in view:
If she can’t kiss you, you can’t kiss her
If you can’t put up with me, I can’t put up with you
If fame can’t grow out of you, you can’t grow out of fame
If money can’t find you, you can’t find money
If the politician can’t trust you really, you really can’t trust the politician
Look, what I point out is, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
Whether it is in a book, at a cemetery, on a plane, or behind a truck
Drive safe, you asshole.
Under a pile of words, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
Behind a big truck, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
That is, since I drive in front of you
If you want to pass but can’t see me in
My driver’s seat, or in my front rear mirror, you are
In my blind spot, so don’t follow me too closely, don’t
Try to pass me, but stay calm behind my shadow
Otherwise you would kiss my big ass in a bloody way
And so, when you communicate
Wait and make sure you see the right person first –
That’s for your own safety, pal
When you are dating, dancing, cursing, playing or fighting
It’s best to have the real person in view:
If she can’t kiss you, you can’t kiss her
If you can’t put up with me, I can’t put up with you
If fame can’t grow out of you, you can’t grow out of fame
If money can’t find you, you can’t find money
If the politician can’t trust you really, you really can’t trust the politician
Look, what I point out is, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you
Whether it is in a book, at a cemetery, on a plane, or behind a truck
Drive safe, you asshole.
Changming Yuan authored several books
before emigrating from China and
currently teaches writing in Vancouver.
Yuan's poems have appeared in Barrow
Street, Best Canadian Poetry, Drunken
Boat, Exquisite Corpse, London Magazine
and over 200 other literary publications
worldwide. His debut collection
(Chansons of a Chinaman) and
monograph (Politics and Poetics) were
both recently released. Yuan has twice
been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
before emigrating from China and
currently teaches writing in Vancouver.
Yuan's poems have appeared in Barrow
Street, Best Canadian Poetry, Drunken
Boat, Exquisite Corpse, London Magazine
and over 200 other literary publications
worldwide. His debut collection
(Chansons of a Chinaman) and
monograph (Politics and Poetics) were
both recently released. Yuan has twice
been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
| Top photo: Jonathan Winters from "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" movie trailer (1963) |