My first post in a very long time... and much has changed in the intervening time. I'm now living and working in Shanghai in China and I love it! It's an amazing place full of beauty and dichotomy. The people here are simply amazing. Warm, openhearted and friendly. I've made a number of close friends already and feel the warmth of their love and friendship welcoming me anew each day.
I've discovered that a wonderful way to explore this amazing place is on foot. It's big but it's flat. Which makes it very walker-friendly :) Plus... if I get tired there is a wonderful public transport system and ubiquitous yet very cheap taxis to get me home.
One of the walks I do regularly is from the office to home and it was on this walk tonight that was inspired to write this...
The trees and traffic everywhere
A faint miasma in the air
A paradox of place and time
A cityscape not quite sublime
Apparent chaos all around
Below the surface order found
Striving whatever sense to see
A thrilling, wild dichotomy
Tranquility and peace to find
The stresses of the day unwind
And yet the welter of the sound
E'er all the senses can confound
The lights that oft may garish seem
Reflect within a peaceful stream
The water flowing softly by
Evokes a sometimes wistful sigh
The buildings reaching for the sky
Get higher as each day goes by
Their stony fingers reaching far
As if to grasp the very stars
A child admires the beauty strewn
In random heaps like concrete dunes
And flowers fragrant fill the air
Bedecking corners here and thereThe many multicoloured hues
That every builder chose to use
Serving to break the grey that may
Induce the wonderment to fade
And so within this paradox
Is power that our dreams unlocks
We live and breathe as days go by
Within our paradox... Shanghai
The reference to a child admiring beauty was in response to hearing a small child exclaiming over and over "Beautiful! Beautiful!" to her mum... in Chinese. A moment for a smile of joy and wonder... in delight at the joy and wonder felt by a small child.
