A Lament Poem by Raymond Farrell

I live in
The Binjiang district
Of Hangzhou
It is one
Of the newer areas
Of the city
Located across the Qiantang River
From the old city
Ten years ago
The area I live in
Was all farm land
Nothing but
Rice paddies and vegetable plots
But now
It is a thriving urban area
Soon to be connected
To the main city
By the underground metro
Construction
Of the metro
Is proceeding
Fast and furiously
Right outside
The West Gate
Of the university.

When I arrived in China
One year ago
The metro's construction
In Binjiang
Had not begun
And I used to
Buy my fruit
At a stand
Run by an elderly couple
Just outside the West Gate
They were friendly and generous
And I grew attached to them
But regrettably
Less than one month ago
When I went
To buy some fruit
The stand was gone
Without a trace
Obliterated
By the unrelenting force
Of so-called progress.

I do hope
The old folks
Got
Some sort
Of compensation.