Out past the survey
Of an accidental little town
I walked along a curving road
Had no idea where it would lead me
Or what I might find
The place I was in
Needed to be left behind
The road out was rough
Paved with shell
Dusty in the sun
And foul in the weather
I met someone
Along this path
Who sat beside a pothole
Filled with muddy gray water
Fishing with a cane pole
Cork bobbing on the surface
Right to the left
Of the narrow line I walked
Had to wonder how deep it really was
A pointed straw hat
Sported like a Chinese coolie
Covered everything I wanted to know
With bright round yellow
And painted violet dragons
Never looked up as I passed

All I could really say was
“Anything biting?”