Home › Magazine › Spring 1993 › Unfolding Flowers, Matchless Flames

Unfolding Flowers, Matchless Flames

Russell Leong

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I

"Tell me my name,"
I asked Sifu, as ashes
turn the City of Angels blue.
Said he: "Wait until
Gautama's birthday."

Tip by singed fingertip,
the ends of orange punk sticks
tinge the burning days of L.A.—
firefighters in bulletproof vests
catapult through flames
prod mini-malls to fall faster
without falling upon
the arms of mothers,
fathers, daughters, sons, who,
picking through the rubble of barrios
outfit their desire, abandon
their plantation names.

II

Santa Ana winds
carry the haze away,
not even Buddha's hand
can bring back
those who have lost
their breath and beauty here.

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