Street Food

Street food

Characters and symbols,
mutant matchstick men,
march across the building
in strict neon formation.
Cantonese advertising
lures you to unique
street food venues.

Fish flap
in capture tanks,
the sound of patting
a baby’s wet bum.
Take your pick
and latex gloved hands
make a crane grab
look immobile.

Cherry tomatoes,
small red gobstoppers,
offset squid bodies
that leak black ink.
Congealed saliva
of Swallows
stirred into bird’s nest soup
with a bamboo cooking brush.

Spitting woks,
pelican pouches
filled with garlic,
mushrooms, carrots
spring onions and broccoli
all sprinkled with
Chinese white wine.

Deft fingers
separate noodle strings,
a silent pliable harp.
Sculptured watermelon dragon
threatens with
breaded lobster claws.

Ying and Yang of

Cantonese food,

and life is perfect

if you’re Cantonese,

... but tonight, I’m not hungry.

T

2009.10.15