slow boat

i'm leaving
for china
this morning.
my bags
are packed
and sitting
by the door.
i'm waiting
for the taxi
to pull up
and beep
his horn.
i can't speak
chinese,
and know
nothing
about
the culture,
the land,
i don't care
about
the politics,
or the tanks
that might
run me over,
thinking
that i'm
protesting
something.
but i don't
have a bone
of protest
in me. the big
wall is all
i know.
i don't even
have a map,
but i'm that
desperate
to get out
of town for
reasons
that you
might be aware
of and i'd love
a steaming
hot plate
of crispy
beef,
or perhaps
a simple
bowl of white
rice
will do.