my name is bound feet lily flower
I come from a 四邑 village near canton
my husband was a gold digger chinaman
and I his rope in the paddy field
I come from a 四邑 village near canton
landed here in a bluestone lane
I his rope from the paddy field
in a house facing heaven with no shrine
landing here in a bluestone lane
we ate salted fish on sundays
in a house facing heaven with no shrine
on the end of a 黑屎 hat pin
we ate salted fish on sundays
our children are east-west confusions
on the end of a 黑屎 hat pin
I saved their afterbirths in a rusty bucket
our children are east-west confusions
with the help of compassionate caucasians
I saved their afterbirths in a rusty bucket
taking night classes in electricity and magnetism
with the help of compassionate caucasians
door to door we are best-quality-vegetables
taking night classes in electricity and magnetism
our evenings worn on an abacus
door to door we are best-quality-vegetables
we don’t go to the theatre, dance halls or picture shows
our evenings are worn on an abacus
because it’s the time of the larrikins
we don’t go to the theatre, dance halls or picture shows
my life is a silent feature film
because it’s the time of the larrikins
my tongue is exotically cut to the thighs
[KEY WORDS: Bound feet. Goldseeker. Abacus. Opium references. Sexual references. Gratitude. Vegetables.]
四邑 Four Counties: district in Guangdong province, China.
黑屎 black shit: euphemism for opium.
‘best-quality-vegetables’ includes phrases sourced and adapted from: Morag Loh, Oral History Interviews with Chinese Immigrants and their Descendants 1976-83: George Nan Tie (20 Feb 1982) and Samuel Tongway (4 May 1982), State Library Victoria; Lily Ma, ‘Four Generations of Australian-born Chinese women’, in Nikki Loong (ed). From Great Grandmothers to Great Granddaughters: the Stories of Six Chinese Australian Women. Wetherill Park, NSW: Echo Point Press. 2006; Memoir of a Chinese Christian in Melbourne (Manuscript, Typescript, 1900-1930), State Library Victoria.
