Outside his expensive gift shop
The wealthy Chinese merchant rests
On the hand carved ornamental stool
He can be heard telling his stories
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

"If this were the last tiger penis
I should own it, make soup out of it
Drink it with my friends"
He was genuine and warm
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

Behind Friendship Gate life is not as it appears
The little town of Lang Son links the wilds of Viet Nam
To the insatiable ye wei of the Chinese
Who empty the gifts of the forest
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

The caves of Nhi Thanh are filled with riches
And the Ky Cung River is a birthing ground for fish
Tourists come for the tranquility of the Tien Pagoda
Exotic fauna and flora carry a high price tag
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

Nature reserves, natural preserves protected and safe
Finest fruits of sweet pears, plums and persimmons
Not enough to satisfy the ye wei of the Chinese
Who constantly invade and destroy the simplicity of Lang Son,
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

Armed and dangerous, toothless and powerful
The endangered pangolin cries in the night while
Waist deep in the murky Red River Kim Son stands
With the vulnerable Spoon-billed Sandpiper
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

At dawn hundreds of Vietnamese line the borders
Their rattan cages and oversized baskets filled
"Red booked" monkeys, rainbow colored exotic birds
Old world civet cats and royal, coiled pythons
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

The Chinese with their ye wei call to these hungry people
Enticing them with pleasures of their world.
The villagers return with riches and more
TVs, VCRS, t-shirts, jeans and electric fans
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

They leave Lang Son by the tons
Wild frogs, badgers and bats
Depleting the forest of its inhabitants
Headed to a country that cannot control its appetite
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

Through China's porous borders many pass
Searching for pills, powders, mystery medicines
The "nouveaux riche" and monkeys on their backs
Undeniable appetites whetted for ye wei
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

What is this obsession with ye wei?
Upscale wildlife restaurants thriving
Exotic meats and dishes for the sophisticated palate
All the while wealthy Chinese eat wildlife into extinction
And that makes Kim Son uncomfortable.

Charlene M. Ashendorf
Costa Mesa, CA.