Poetry
Probes of Near-Field Optical Microscopy
Who is speaking?
Who is he talking about?
What guards?
Where were they?
Why were the dialogues so stiff?
Did they really challenge him about his name?
Is it AM or FM or PM or SM?
Did you sign your name?
How many times did you sign?
Was it in the triangle?
Can you show it without telling?
How does this advance your story?
Aren’t the lists too static?
Aren’t you trying too hard?
Did you go through a dictionary?
Did you go through a dictator?
Did the gate open?
Is there a plot?
Who were the masterminds behind it?
Must you twist your story to please prick heads and pussy stomach?
Is this happening before or after?
Is it him or her?
Is the gender switch by accident?
He didn’t open his eyes or all was imagined?
How long was the line on the boulevard?
How did they break the cordon line?
What’s the rationale behind the line break?
Where is the gist of the line?
Where is it going?
Why are the quotation marks missing?
Why are you against the editorial line?
Have you swallowed enough red-inked shits?
Are you in line with the center?
What’s the real purpose of your strike?
How far do you plan to take this strike?
Can you imagine the consequences of the present tense?
How could we what?
Why have we come?
Why do we come only now?
Couldn’t you see it coming?
Can’t you see the bottom line?
Can we work together on it?
What do I mean?
Are you trying so hard to impress?
Why are they wasted?
Can a giant panda swear?
Can a giant panda talk about depleting forest?
Can a baby giant panda know about androgen?
Aren’t they translated from an alien speech?
Is there any common denominator among different tongues?
Was he really screaming loud?
Was it internal uttering?
Can you tone it down?
Why are you so fond of the long sentence?
How long is a long sentence?
What sentence are you referring to?
What’s the law dictating the sentence?
So he died?
Are the letters just placeholders?
What’s the deal with Scandinavia?
Is this meant to refer to the geographical area?
Were there two statues in the Square?
Are D and S fictional characters?
How many times did you go?
Did you go there with others?
Did you go there from the east or the west?
Why did you run away?
What’s the point of repetition?
What exactly happened?
Did you see the carnage?
Are you still shaking?
When did it start?
What was the song?
Did it rain?
Was it blue or yellow?
Where is the price tag of freedom?
Did you throw the bottles?
Did you throw the basins?
Have you turned in your films?
Have you learned your lessons?
Is the world all that is the bookcase?
Do you know how to hold your tongue?
Do you know where to stick your ass?
Do I have a case?
Contributor
Shanxing WangWang's "Mad Science in Imperial City" was the winner of 2006 Asian American Literary Award.
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