Flowers Of The Human Spirit Poem by Brian Taylor

A woman looks up
from her place among the dirt and pollution
of Silom Road and joins
her palms together in salutation.

Someone has put two one-baht coins
in her plastic cup
(without looking at her face) .

One hundred yards away,
The British Club is going to cool
their swimming pool
with ice for a Polar swim
at 11a.m. on New Year's Day.
'Free of charge. Free hot mulled wine.'
(There is a double crash barrier
with uniformed security guards
to protect would-be polar swimmers.)

At the Bangkok Motor Show,
an as white-as-snow
Bugatti Veyron is a la carte,
escorted by swirling girls
in white satin evening gowns.
253 mph top speed,
turbo-charged, all souped-up.
To squeeze out
all its growling sounds,
you will need
to take 165 million baht

out of your plastic cup.


(From 'Bamboo Leaves')