Lantern Review: A Journal of Asian American Poetry

Issue 3 | Summer 2011

Hong-Thao Nguyen

Lattice Work

(and the figs) (expose the foliage) (like hands) (splayed)
(red) (across) (light) (red) (becoming) (sunset) (routinely)

(I’ve been thinking) (if there is erosion) (now)
(across the Pacific) (to serve an Oriental) (am I)

(a face) (constructed) (entirely of) (peacock feathers)
(of recycled plastic) (mouths gaped) (forming) (oh)

(yellow man) (I’ve been thinking) (Long Duk) (the great)
(attraction) (hipped and laced) (along) (infrastructure)

(am I) (master of) (nothing but) (red) (becoming)
(howls) (together again) (inside of) (me) (a classic)

(me) (a face) (pawned for) (or) (swallows) (gone mad)
(and) (punctuated) (against kimono) (this) (costume)

(Rooney) (hobbled on) (a face) (am I) (mosaic there)
(his tape pulled tight) (constructed) (the eyes)

(am I) (standing) (out the doors) (am I) (seams)
(together again) (am I) (hush) (hush) (hush)