MY FORT

High above the fray
not home during the day
illegal to be so high
A soup man catches my eye.

Tiles below and fans above
watching lizards scurry and shove.
Police shakedown sometimes at night
the christmas ceasefire sky is bright

Christmas eve tracers riddle the sky,
outlying heavens all glow with a sigh.
Nobody’s fighting as far as I know.
peace on earth has a wonderful glow.

the soup man commeth with
the rhythm of his sticks, clanging and
calling that  the noodle soup is hot.
Come and get it ready or not.

Sit out on the roof to drink with friends,
Australia, Korea and even Canadians.
My allies all drink Ba muoi ba- 3.3 proof.
We see the cat’s eyes way up on the roof

Exhilarating lights, flash with the sounds
way above Saigon’s trembling ground.
Illuminating us all from poverty and war
all outside my dead- bolted door.