No One, Nothing, Yes, You


You no longer let me perch on your arm

— Xue Tao*

No one, nothing, yes, you

once tall, your blues riveted

on outstretched arms, no

longer in residence, living

and dining rooms intact, no

longer

do avocado trees let

go fruit still to

ripen in 20th century clime, me,

ensconced, somewhat caged, half free a perch

flapping her wings from

steadying ground while our eyes shift

on beginnings black gold red

my arm, your

invisible arm.

© 2023 Nellie Wong

* Inspired by a poem by Xue Tao from Yin Mountain: The Immortal Poetry of Three Daoist Women, translated by Peter Levitt and Rebecca Nie © 2022.

Listen to Nellie Wong read No One, Nothing, Yes, You
Sorry this site disable right click
Sorry this site disable selection
Sorry this site is not allow cut.
Sorry this site is not allow copy.
Sorry this site is not allow paste.
Sorry this site is not allow to inspect element.
Sorry this site is not allow to view source.