A Dapper Gentleman Poem by Raymond Farrell

Today
As I sat
Under the locust tree
It was wash day
On the other side
Of the old iron fence
Women were hanging out clothes
With small children in tow
Directly behind me
One bar of the fence
Is missing
Leaving a gap
To squeeze through
As I sat reading
A dapper young Chinese gentleman
Of about four years old
Appeared in front of me
Bright eyed
With a gingham
Blue and red checked shirt
A gray vest with
Matching pants and shoes
He was unaware
Of the language barrier between us
But very intent on telling me
What was on his mind
He stood before me
Forearms bent in front of his chest
With his palms at shoulder height
Facing upwards
He began to deliver
A tale of concern, if not woe
In fluent Chinese
Upon finishing
He said Zai Jian (goodbye)
And went back through the fence
Leaving me none the wiser
But happy
To have made his acquaintance
None the less.