Fading Away

This poem is dedicated to my two incredible daughters, Debbie and Chantal. Without their love, sheer guts, support and crazy senses of humour, life in Beijing would not have been so much fun.

Gone are the days when creativity gave birth to earnings

When all had opportunity

When work provided dignity

A sense of purpose and gratitude

Gone are the days when visas were bought under the bridge 

From a car with tinted windows

When haute couture was found in piles in makeshift tents along the streets

And CD's were sold from an old suitcase

Gone are the days when money merely supported survival

When brand names were unfamiliar

And mattered not

When quality had standards

Gone are the days when old folk huddled on streets 

Captivated by the age-old tradition of majong

When men in grey Mao suits walked tall

Their pet crickets confined in cages 

Gone are the days when miandis ruled the roads

When carts darted through traffic 

And donkeys fell asleep at intersections

When bicycles were nine million and counting

Gone are the days when Panjiayuan captured the value of bygone eras

When one haggled for hours in the dirt

When flatbed bicycles gingerly made their way to the city

Laden with meaningful treasures from past dynasties

Gone are the days when street food was the delight of all

When jianbin cost four kwai

And Peking duck was on every table

When coffee was a scarcity and green tea flowed

Gone are the days when hutongs were homes

When children played in alleyways

And people bought off the street carts

When parks were places of friendship and stories

Gone are the days when people talked to each other

When personal relationships mattered more

When staying home was a priority 

And shopping malls a mystery

Gone are the days when the youth appreciated

When technology was unknown and the voice of a friend familiar

When neighbours knew and valued the next

And news travelled from mouth to ears

Gone are the days when being blonde and blue-eyed secured the job

When being tall added more guarantees of fame

When flying to unknown places to be who you are not

Earned you more than the day-job ever did

Gone are the days being everyone’s new best friend 

When invites poured in to be the latest import from Africa

When owning a diamond-encrusted Miss Kitty item

Ensured access to the right people at the right time

Gone are the days when talking to the hand was beneficial

When the need for tolerance exceeded all limits

And levels of greater understanding and diplomacy were essential

When one cried hopelessly with frustration

Gone are the days when the air breathed was natural

When windows were open

When breathing was deep and nourishing

And not the grave risk factor it is today

Gone are the days when time had no limits

When folk danced on every corner 

And the sounds of distant erhus infused the air

Gone are the days …