A nation like me

[Leanne]

There is immense power in this personification; however, I feel that the shift is somewhat abrupt and the poem would benefit from a few more oblique comparisons of corruption of flesh/society in the earlier stanzas.  

This is my story,
a make-up-artist's tale.
I place final decorations on those
whose lives have ended.

My Russian uncle took care of me
when my parents made The Great Leap.
I do not worry about survival.
I never have to rely.

Uncle passed his skills on. I have become
a continuation of him.
When I show you my work
it makes you sick. ‘What a job’,

you say, ‘making the faces of 
dead people. My God!’
Before I begin, I pray for them. 
Then a formaldehyde injection. -- perhaps "Then inject formaldehyde" to make it more immediate and active.

Next, a face cleansing
with fine cotton swabs.
I refine beauty, fixed momentarily
in the world of memory.

No matter who, rich or poor, high
or low, I am their final consolation.
I make them seem happy. Even
this couple; a love-inspired suicide pact. -- great line for analogy

I refuse to work on those who
stubbornly won’t resign to fate.
‘Here’ you say ‘these blooms are for you.’
You knew they stand for eternal loss.

A nation like me is unsuitable
for any man’s love. 
‘What sort of job do you have?’
I am a master of disguises. -- For some reason I want this to be more adamant: "I am the master of disguise" or even just "a master".

I hide corruption, control
time, rewrite the stories.
I perfect lies. I am 
a make-up artist. -- I love this strophe









a response to XiXi's 1982 story A Woman Like Me, referencing contemporary Hong Kong