ONE FROM THE OTHER SHORE

He brings a sand river

and a fortress

in place of a striped crosswalk

and a single traffic light.

He brings a gleaming mountain railway

in place of the murky cross-harbor tunnel.

He brings the eastern shore’s spray and precipice,

its cliffs and coral reefs

in place of domed mansions,

parking lots, duty-free shops.

He bring forests and five types of pine,

the jingling lumber chains

in place of the slot machines,

cola ads,

the fire engines’ howls.

He brings wells,

the lakes of Gemini

to replace the filter beds,

water towers, desalination plants.

He brings a hot spring

in place of the modern bathroom.

A salt-drying pond

in place of the all-electric kitchen.

He brings color-painted orchid boats,

islands of lapping waves,

the seashore sunrise,

in place of the waste incinerators,

central air,

satellite transmission stations.

He brings fishing ports,

snow-capped peaks,

cloud seas at three thousand meters,

canyons, prairies, an ancient city

in place of the overpass, the squares,

subways, borders,

and Sunday evenings,

the whole city’s yawn.