Noisy Market/ Quiet Temple

In a market street
of southwest Beijing
a man pedals a bicycle
with a pig flopping loose-jointed
across the back carrier

at a bump in the road
the carcass bounces upwards
as if coming back to life

an escaped chicken
runs between cars and bicycles
beating its wings and cawing
until a woman blocks its flight
kicks it back to the vendor

few people enter the temple
in the back street
where gray pavement
meets bare trees
in silence
and monks in brown robes stroll

but within its walls
buildings were pillaged
soldiers billeted
an emperor imprisoned
grieving over his fallen empire.