Maung Day

Salt from My Blood

I was born in the floodwaters of Aquarius.
No mule is a virgin. A murderer is my friend.
A surprise the size of China comes with a pig’s face.
I don’t live in Gaza.

I make a rope from orphans’ umbilical cords.
I am fact. I am or I am not
whatever you are not.
Hold on tight to Pol Pot’s oar.

Buddha is not furniture.
The new day is Dawn of the Dead pink,
and so is my ice-cream.
We have technology.

Fireflies come out of corpses.
The basket of a highland girl is full of cancer.
We don’t need a picture of paddies on our national flag anymore.
Calamities will always bring us together.


return to SHAMPOO 41