Walking Poems

Daqing, Peaches, Wei and Thoughts of Eve

For Wei on our Seventh Wedding Anniversary 2011

Wei arrives on the Harbin-Daqing Train

To the dusty cobbled streets.

With gold and red flags

Old couples’ dances in the center square

Like a propaganda painting by Matisse

Vendors squawk

Among horns and cymbals

Wei buys peaches

Fist large, barley contained

In the soft fuzz of delicate skin

She takes one herself, she offers me another

With our first bites

Our faces, arms and hands

Are sweet and sticky

We eat all the flesh with delight

And suck the pits clean

We rub our chins

We lick our hands, wrist and down our forearms

Eve is here.

She is ever here,

When Wei is present

I thought of Eve with her first bite,

The devouring and licking of hands.

Wondering why so few sing her praises?