Encountered A Wild Pear Tree Poem by Joan Xie

Behind the postal office of Jersey City
Yesterday I encountered a wild pear tree.

It drooped on an unused blue postal box
Pale, frightened as if just sneaked out of a grave.

I got closer, sniffed its ghost odor from prior life
And asked, What made you come back?

Irritated by me, it pretended not to hear the question
But how it would be able to avoid my inquisition.

On the street, a Ford made an illegal U-turn
Gasoline smell rushed into my nostrils.

Pear Tree smiled at me apologetically
Then kissed my shortened palm-line gently.

Cherry trees blossomed at the foot of a short rain
It could not fool me by drizzling me dazzling me into a belief.