Three Sonnets from João

On another day in Macau the poet was nearing A-Ma Temple.

Actually, he was stopped outside a Macanese restaurant,

was contemplating the menu, wondering if he had ample

time for lunch. One of the approaching passers-by can’t

be Weinberger of Manhattan. . . ? There’d been a poetry festival

in Hong Kong. Indeed, beside him: Gary Snyder, Bei Dao!

They were going for lunch. Would João like to

join them? He can’t remember the food, but João

has, verbatim, some of the poets’ conversation.

Unfortunately, clearest when Snyder asked if he was Australian

and he answered, ‘Do you want my passport?’

mistakenly and terribly brusque. João regretted that.

     Yet Snyder afterwards, outside the restaurant, in the talk

     of farewell, smiling: ‘Real great to meet you here, on the Macau sidewalk!’