Tiger Guardian

The small green ceramic tiger

Guards the gate of the water-house

At the top of the hill

With chipped nose and broken teeth

Its hollow blue-green roar

Has been as vacuous as the smoky air around it

And its up raised paw and royal mane sits

As inconspicuous as a student

People walk by continuously, spitting nearby

The tiger stands defiantly in the corner, ignored by all

The people are too busy

Tending to the concerns of their party

They all dress in high-powered, dangerous clothes

The serious business look is the fashion and the rage

The new communist uniform of the high-flying citizen

Carrying themselves with haughty pride

And over-confident stride

Whenever I walk by the place

I pay my guardian a respectful glance

It stands with dignity and humility

In silence

In spite of its dirty, cracked face

It reminds me of better times