Christmas Vomited on Shanghai

Up from the subway into the mall’s
tall granite sweep—gold balls dangled
above the escalator, sparkly green
bunting looped the banisters. Through

the dirge of English carols, I found
my way outside, fell in with a crowd
just disgorged from a city bus—puffy
pink neon jackets, hacking coughs.

We fast-walked past the cider-selling
Bavarian mini chalets, past the massive
white-dusted firs which crowded around
the former home of Chairman Mao.


Jonathan Cooper’s poems and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in various publications including New Plains Review, Poetry Pacific, Two Hawks Quarterly, and Praxis Magazine. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.