From

When Thirsty Drink Green Tea

Poems by Ji Bo

Translations by Ned Mudd

Breaking News

top general has dream
drop atom bomb.
preacher has dream
burn down church.
bus driver has dream
give everybody free ride.
Willie Nelson has dream
sing cowboy opera.
prostitute has dream
become nun.
nun has dream
become prostitute.
flying saucer has dream
toss Earth into black hole.

what is dream?
big mystery.

Planet Earth

oldest species – bacteria
newest specie – computer
smartest species – cockroach
fastest species – photon
slowest species – mountains
loudest species – politician
deadliest species – mosquito
funniest species – clown

unknown species – others side of black hole

Latest Fashion Trend

surgically reshape entire body
into perfect physique seen in magazine.
implant genetically modified hair,
teeth, nails; swap old eyes for TV eyes,
replace brain with digital hard drive.
no more need for internal organs.
feed body nuclear power.
relocate to gigantic beach resort;
plug-in; turn-on; enjoy robot life;
no more indigestion, headaches,
menstrual pains.

when latest fashion trend is complete
all humans will live in peace
one big happy resort family.

200 years later:
too many robots use up
all nuclear power.
gigantic beach resort turns
into ghost town.

300 years later:
world’s forests return
world’s rivers return
world’s whales return
world’s lions and tigers return
world’s jungles return.

circle complete.

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