Julia Cheng Poet Free verse

Kamogawa

So what did you think you would find
You, standing on this bridge and glaring into the water
The sea carried the image of your face across the world
and offers it to you now

You told me, I am not looking for myself
that is trite as hell, and who am I anyway
Buddha told me there is no self
there is no I or me or you
only this moment where 
I am standing over this water
and seeing your face

I see your face everywhere I go

You told me, I threw away my money
They don't use dollars here and
I can't buy what I need. I tried
to buy a map, but I can't read the damn thing---
just threw it away and started walking

Night falls and the city writhes onto its back
Bodies begin to flow across the bridge
gleaming with moonlight and sequins
You stand with your back against the current
and I find you there

arms outstretched
falling in

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Debbie Guzzi May 17, 2010 at 5:11 PM Where are you sweet poetess? You are among my few fav poets and you are gone? You sound so like Ophelia in Shakespeare...I love the verse and relate to the torment! Light & Love

Kristin Reynolds January 10, 2009 at 4:08 AM Another excellent write, filled with wisdom and searching. i like how you interweave your own self into the poem/narrative, just excellent poetry on an excellent subject. love, Kristin

Denis Joe December 30, 2008 at 5:21 AM I like the narrative of this. I wasn't quite sure about the question mark in the first line. I think it works as a statement within a line or at the end of the stanza. The narrative of the poem is quite oblique and sets the reader a real task to understand. That is a good thing. I feel strongly that the artist should not make things easy for the reader. there are some beautiful lines in this poem that betray the craft that went into its composition.