Khao San Road

Suzie - blinks blinks blinks -

Her Neon tubes,

Yawping for Lost People to join

The Circus of Nomads

Who seek - Infinity in the Finite,

Long dreams on Short roads,

And Delusion's delights

(That shock Electric currents through

Too many wires crossed,

Translations lost - )

And Ghosts in the moonless street

Of milled-rice Hawkers

Mill with modern Demons,

(Grabbing hold of Illusions

In Red Auras, slobbering Intoxication)

And Kissing Cowboys that ride Elephants

To a Midnight bar at Dawn,

(Sucking nitrous Balloons

That suspend disbelief into

Moments of Truth - )

While fried Scorpions

Tempt the Brave to battle,

And Loneliness and Insecurity fall

Into the arms of Strangers.

Meanwhile - Spaceships hover low in curiosity

(With ecstatic Aliens ready to dissect

The cream of the Human Crop)

Illuminated by Pavement's blue glow -

And the Little Girl on the floating chair

Follows the Neon Hand that directs Left

To the blackness of Escape;

(She is the Lucky One.)

For the rest,

Its dirty rooms with invisible Blood

On parchment walls (and mosquito nets),

Where Bed Bugs bite rows on Eyeballs,

And you wake up Dead,

Wondering...

What Mystery

Lies behind the Blue Curtains?

-je