Narrated by Jane Parmessur
I am now a civilized hirsute monkey, part of the folk handicraft of old Beijing. A Chinese girl’s calmness has turned my gall into a delicate, lively wit. She has dwarfed and sweetened the black monster blowing in my blue flood. Steel has melted into furry magnolia buds, cicada-slough and Akebia in dire winter. I can now tiptoe into her room, every night, with an air of charming naivety, unseen, serenading on her sill. But I hear people gossip–she is slipping into madness, seeing a gentle midnight ghost between her white legs. It’s a pity she cannot recognize me; wasn’t I better as a monstrous barbarian?
***
BIO: Amit Parmessur is a poet and a teacher. He has been published in several print and online journals. He lives on one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Mauritius.