March 2011

慢慢来 (little by little…)

**pole pole we said in Kiswahili mantra for social change *patience is vitalfor sustainability clear and sure-footed*small shifts in practicecan save thousands of lives making it all worthwhile*(above: community health workers Xiao Fei, Zhan Fei and Zhang Aiyi, me, Director Shi of the HIV/derm department at Hangzhou Number 6 People's Hospital, Dr. Yu, head of …

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delusion

*a man with a knifesquats outside the hospital"give me medicines!"*he yells at doctorsand anyone who'll listen"i have HIV!"*problem is, his testsare all negative but hedoesn't believe it*

chongqing hot pot

*boiling red pork fatpassed on for generationsof feasting diners*so spicy my mouthis first on fire then losesall its sensation*i can't refuse foodfrom head of hospitalnext day: diarrhea!*

a spent bloom

*it is spring outsidemagnolia, plum blossomspink white firecrackers*yet i spend all daywith sick, dying, angry folksabsorbing their pain*i know things are badwhen i don't have energyto write my haikus*

xi shan (west hill)

*climbing red clay soilhighways, high-rises belownot a soul in sight *

organism

*just in case you havesmall animals or microbes to get off your hands*