Shanghai Poems | Examples

A Lady from Shanghai

A young lady from Shanghai
was arrested not knowing why.
“Your singing,” officials explained,
“too high; neighbors complained.”
At once she told the government
she had a spheech impediment,
and was only practiching to shing
but denied she shang high.

Ladies From Shanghai VIIII

I had to lo-Ok,
saw, I kn-Ow her,
We're fr-Om Shanghai.

Ladies From Shanghai VIII

Lady beh-Ind
said out s-Ide Where'd,
you f-Ind it! Well?d.

Ladies From Shanghai VII

When we avrr-Ived
I'm surpr-Ised, that's
her, sm-Iling there.

Lady From Shanghai VI

Story she h-Ad
was a b-Ag like
purse A-nd not hers

Lady From Shanghai V

Gave same addres-S
like the la-St cab
ride S-aid. Same spot.

Lady From Shanghai IV

IV)Next I had s-Ort
self-ctr-Olled and
my O-h fresh bills

Lady From Shanghai III

I dropped her O-ff
someplace d-Owntown
I kn-Ow about

Lady From Shanghai II

Then she tell m-E
somebo-Dy took
her P-ink wallet.

Lady From Shanghai I

A rare good sou-L
at Mote-L Six 
who smel-Led different

Shanghai Carpenter

There was a carpenter in Shanghai
Who hanging from a roof beam so high
When he grabbed a nail,
He let out a yell
Everyone thought he would surely die.

Shanghai, a Perspective

A Shanghai building
Reflecting on the water
Soothing strings music

Shanghai Monk

I am
in the middle
of meditation
in lotus position
I am
the reason
for you to leave me
Solitude
the big opera of God
a poets reward
You are
the unspoken complicated words
dancing far away
only dust and smoke
(Evolution pollution)
is on the way
and remembers
Big destiny waves
no one here
to see now
what I feel
I am a
Shanghai monk
in orange pajamas
standing in the air

The Shanghai Sonnet

Congealed upon the banks of this
tamed dragon sprawl stacks of crude buildings.
Concrete covers all but two glassy kings,
thick smoggy gusts give them a grimy kiss.
Insipid pillars choke sunlight, endless
roads incise the very earth, wings
of apartments cram into ev’rything,
ev’rywhere stacks upon stacks of units.
Herein lies the future, our dystopia
has arrived through the hazy looking glass.
Perhaps a reminder, utopia
is not coming, or maybe the hourglass
has but some time left. Then the route is clear.
We must turn everything around. And fast.

Shards of Shanghai

Upturned Chinese roofs
In a soft silhouette
Look so majestic
On top of the hill—
Encompassed in fog
In low light and shadows,
Quite simply surreal—

Boats filled with refugees
Fleeing Shanghai from
The Japanese invasion
‘Midst the chaos of war.
Gentle waves lap against
Boat hulls in dire contrast
To the noisy bomb blasts.

As shown on drawn faces
Fear and faith interlaces
With a hopeful resolve.
Comrades of all races
Are joined in this throng.
They sail away to far places
Not knowing their fate,
As in divine kinship
They now all belong.


Note* I was inspired to write this piece by a wonderful
movie I watched called The White Countess.

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