Farewell, farewell...

Now, I'll leave you with some poetry.

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Where is the girl who knew how to play with dolls,
And had tea parties at a cardboard table?
Where is the girl who spent hours gathering weeds
To serve at a royal feast?

Where is the girl who studied science
And wrote poetry--about eclipses?
Where is the girl who read mythology
And made friends with the characters?

Where is the girl who was halfway in her Invisible world
And searched for the hole that reached there?
Where is the girl who had six invisible friends
That populated her secret country?

Where is the girl whose dream was to draw
Things that would catch people's eyes?
Where is the girl who danced
No matter who was watching?

She's gone--maybe she found her Invisible World.
I wish her well.

Who is this girl who still plays with dolls
Sometimes to hide her expression and tears?
Who is this girl who stares out at the view
And thinks?

Who is this girl who studies science
And tries to stay grounded in what she believes?
Who is this girl who reads mythology,
And shuts the book when she's done?

Who is this girl with her head in the clouds
Who doesn't care about the Invisible World?
Who is this girl who is lonely--
Her few friends are far away.

Who is this girl whose dream is to write
Beautiful things to make people think?
Who is this girl who dances
Because she can't help it, embarrassed to death?

Who is she?
Don't I know her?
No, I don't think I do...

Here's one for Kunming--where, hopefully, I will be tomorrow. We hope to eat at McDonald's and KFC.

Kunming
What song can I sing for you,
City of Dreary Gray?
Should I sing you a song of car horns
Or crowded busses jammed with people?
Should I sing you a song of your ugliness
Or your pockets of beauty?

What song can I sing for you,
City of Weary Feet?
Should I sing you a song of your millions
Or your streets that stretch all around town?
Should I sing of your "foreigner's haven"
Or more of the local Chinese?

What song can I sing for you,
City of Beautiful Names?
Should I sing of your Small Flower street
Or should I call it "Xiao Hua Lu"?
Should I sing of the Northern Gardens
Or is it called "Bei Chen Xiao Chu"?

What song can I sing for you
City, the home of my friend?
Should I sing for your looks, or your streets, or the street names
Or the people just passing by?

One for an airplane--going on quite a different journey, I know.

Leaving
The airplane flies me away.
I don't want to leave.
Pilot, can't you turn towards my family?
Or, better yet, take me home.

When we left Seattle, we had an evening flight--quite late at night, actually--and the terminal was so quiet. But just outside were plenty of people--carrying on their normal conversations. But it was so...strange. We were in an island. Here, I've brought you the island now. Catch!

Night Terminal
Empty seats fill the gate waiting area.
Waves of people walk by,
But by the gate...there's hardly a sound.
Quiet.
So quiet--
Except for the TV
And scattered conversations.
And the voices, calling us
Away.

Well...tomorrow we'll wander away, so have a good week and a bit more. Ahhh, a week off from school, plus a regular weekend and a three day weekend--except, of course, that we have to make up the week at the end of the year, and the Monday that we come back is being made up that Saturday. But what a lovely break (if only it wasn't in the middle of a book...)!
Saro