10tonfunk

Real gods, fake fur
legs of ham in handy tennis racket shaped carrying cases
just sling the parma over your arma
snow drips off the tiled roofs
hissing steam when it kisses the ground

In the shoe store a leg is extended from underneath a robe
and a heavy down coat
a foot clad in a black boot with embroidered patterns
laced up to near the knee
emerges
The slipper-soled boots are exchanged
for cheap, puffy black moon boots
shoe shopping in costume concluded
we head back to the set

The dating show contestant, 25
lists his criteria for women
with his mom at his side
arguing over how many years older or younger
shorter or taller
is okay
additional requirements
“has to love me” ...read more

SARS 1019 AD
Everyone is wearing surgical masks in the plaster cave
The dusk clogs the beams from the lights
     in no hurry to move along
Blue lights reflects from cell phones onto made up faces
the glare catching the peaks of the elaborate wigs carefully glued on every morning

Someone has shown the 59-year-old director Weibo
He spends much of the day leaned back in his folding lawn chair
chuckling
adding the young crew members to his friends list
Somehow
he’s already uploaded a much younger picture of himself

He’s fascinated for several minutes when he finds a young man
     with the same name
staring at his avatar, uncharacteristically silent
It could be you from the past
Chimes the makeup girl with round white teeth

In the same set
a large two story building
is being constructed from charred logs and wood from other sets
The men work without consulting each other, or a plan
The saws whine
and sigh as they decelerate

Still in the underground compound
we doze in the trailer
with the red camping light and hindi beats
teeth clacking against sunflower seeds
clouds of conversation gently fogging the air outside

In the courtyard the light is ...read more

Bad for the actors, good for the farmers
Of flesh and fauna, mice and men
and indescribable, pinkish lunch meats

The old couple moves arm and arm down the seventy or so steps
She digs lunch out of his teeth with a toothpick
both patient
Your mom and I…

Language can be courage
Silence cowardice
And the space between two people filled with the mild buzz
of discomfort
like an errant Sichuan pepper

I think you are lucky
In the deep night I think so too
Mornings are rougher ...read more