A Youxia Comes to Naperville

The youxia, Zhu Yi, stepped off of the train
Last week in Naperville. "So prosperous,"
He told himself, "I doubt that I'll have much
To do." He found a chain motel nearby,
Unpacked his bags, then, with his sword,
Set out to find something to eat and better
Others' lives. Two bright red characters,
"Rice Bowl," brought him into a dismal,
Sterile restaurant. He took a seat. A woman
At the counter barked, "You have to place
Your order here." He did, then learned,
When it was ready, that he also had to go
And get it. He would not be served.
The food was bad, all starch and grease,
Though named the same, not anything
Like he had eaten at his home. When he
Was done, he pondered this. A woman,
Really, just a girl, came to take away his
Trash. He said hello, and asked her name.
"Elena Sanchez," she replied. There were
No others eating, so she had the time to talk
To him. He asked her if she liked her work.
She said, "It sucks, but I'm a Dreamer.
Surely, you know what that means. I've
Lived here all my life, but I am told
That I must go away. I cannot take a decent
Job. I cannot go to school. I am a slave,
And, worse, a homeless slave." Zhu Yi,
Now scowling, said, "That's wrong,
And I will bring an end to that." He told
Her to put down her tray, take off her
Apron, come with him to show him
Who had shackled her. She led him
To an office building, blandly labeled
ICE. Zhu Yi demanded that the woman
In the lobby, at a desk, direct him to
The tyrant who was ruining Elena's
Life. Eye on his sword, the woman
Pointed toward a door. "See Mr. Elkins."
Zhu Yi knocked, but didn't wait.
He and Elena just walked in. This
Mr. Elkins was the sort of man Zhu Yi
Disliked on sight. He looked up at
Them with contempt, as Zhu Yi
Knew he always did with those he
Thought he was above. He had another,
Craven, face for anyone who threatened
Him. "What do you want?" he sneered.
"We want this woman to be recognized,
To be a citizen, like you." "Too bad.
The law is clear. She isn't legal. She
Must go." Zhu Yi unsheathed his
Gleaming sword and put its point
To Elkins' scrawny neck. "She'll
Be a citizen today, or you will be
A corpse!" Now, Elkins' craven
Face appeared. He asked to be brought
Paperwork. With shaking hands,
He made Elena whole. Zhu Yi
Withdrew his sword and had Elena
Take her documents. They left,
And didn't shut the door. Outside,
Elena started crying. "You have
Saved me. Thank you. Thank you."
"I've done nothing more than help
You get something that you deserve."
He smiled at her and said goodbye,
Then set off down the street.

So strange it was to find an officer
Who'd taken out his gun and fired
It at least two times toward a young
Man running from him. Zhu Yi
Shouted, "Stop!" The officer then
Turned toward him. "Does that
Man have a weapon?," Zhu Yi asked.
"Has he done something wrong?"
"He didn't do as he was ordered.
Who are you, somebody who is also
Looking to be shot or hauled away
To jail?" "You'd be wise not to
Threaten me, a man who's well
Schooled in the arts of war, since
I'm sure you are not." Zhu Yi
Approached the officer, his hand
Upon his still-sheathed sword.
"Don't move! I'll shoot." "Perhaps
You think you will," Zhu Yi said,
Moving closer. "But, if you don't
Point that weapon somewhere
Else, and quickly, you will find
That you have lost both it
And most of your right arm."
The officer put down his gun.
By then, a crowd surrounded him.
The man who'd run had come
Back. They all shouted at the officer.
Zhu Yi asked if what he had witnessed
Happened often, and the people
Answered, "All the time." Zhu Yi
Pulled out his sword and pointed
At the chastened constable. "Now,
It won't. Is that correct?" The man
Just shook his head.

The days which followed seemed
The same: old couples facing
Muggers, people being cheated
Out of savings, kids and women
Beaten, girls threatened coming
Home from school. In time, Zhu Yi
Had had enough of awful food
And misbehavior. "This place
Seems so prosperous," he thought
As he picked up his bags, "but,
Underneath its surface, it's
Like home."



Poetry by Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 45 times
Written on 2019-12-31 at 17:14

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