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The Song Book of Quong Lee of Limehouse
by Thomas Burke
Buying and Selling
Throughout the day I sit behind the counter of my shop
And the odours of my country are all about me
Areca nut； and betel leaf； and manioc；
Lychee and suey sen；
Li…un and dried seaweed；
Tchah and sam…shu；
And these carry my mind to half…forgotten days
When tales were plentiful and care was hard to hold。
All day I sell for trifling sums the wares of my own land；
And buy for many cash such things as people wish to sell；
That I may sell them again to others；
With some profit to myself。
One night a white…skinned damsel came to me
And offered； with fair words； something she wished to sell。
Now if I desire a jacket I can buy it with coin；
Or barter for it something of my stock。
If I desire rice…spirit； that； too； I can buy；
And elegant entertainments and delights are all to be had for cash。
But there is one good thing above all precious；
That no man may buy。
And though I buy readily most things that I desire；
This thing that the white maid offered at my own price
I would not buy。
The Power of Music
In the little room behind my shop
I refresh myself of an evening with my machine…that…sings。
Two songs has my machine…that…sings：
And these are 'Hitchy Koo' and 'We don't want to lose you。'
When； in the evening； a friend honours me with a visit；
I engage his ears with the air of 'Hitchy Koo'；
But when I am afflicted with a visit
》From those who fill me with a spirit of no…satisfaction；
I command my machine…that…sings
To render the music of 'We don't want to lose you。'
The noise that at this moment greets the ear
Of the elegant visitor to this despicable hovel
Is the incomparable music of 'Hitchy Koo'；
And the price of this person's tea； mister；
Is but a paltry six shillings the pound。
The Lamplighter
The dark days now begin； when in afternoon
The Great Night Lantern makes a razor…edge
Of black and white in the streets。
And one comes； called the Lamplighter；
And the straight stiff lamps of these stiff London streets；
At his quick touch burst into light。
At this shy hour
I see from my unshaded window
Bright girls； hair flowing； go by with shuttered faces；
Holding close captive their warm insurgent bosoms。
And then； at the corner；
Some slender lad of bold and upright carriage
Greets them； and the shuttered lanterns of their faces
Burst with light at the touch of the lamplighter。
Oh； kind ingenious lamplighter；
Will you please step this way？
In Reply to an Invitation
Don't think of me as one of no courtesy
O elegant and refined foreign one；
If I do not accept your high…minded invitation
To drink rice…spirit with you
At the little place called The Blue Lantern； near Pennyfields。
Please don't regard me as lacking in gracious behaviour；
Or as insufferably ignorant of the teachings of the Book of Rites
But I am sojourning here in a strnage land；
And am not fully informed of the usages of your dignified people。
As the wise Mencius observed in one of his inspired hours；
Doubtless thinking forward to situation of this person：
Child who has once suffered unpleasant sensation of burning；
Ever afterward reluctant to approach stove。
Wherefore； as this person once accepted an invitation；
In words as affable and polished as yours； Mister；
To drink rice…spirit at The Blue Lantern；
And was there subjected to a custom of this country
Of an entirely disturbing and unpleasing nature；
Known as Ceremony of Confidence；
He has； since that day； viewed The Blue Lantern
With a feeling of most decided repugnance。
A Night…Piece
I climbed the other day up to the roof
Of the commanding and palatial Home for Asiatics
And looked across the city at the hour of no…light。
Across great space of dark I looked；
But the skirt of darkness had a hundred rents；
Made by the lights of many people's homes。
My life is a great skirt of darkness；
But human kindliness has torn it through；
So that it shows ten thousand gaping rents
Where the light comes in。
A Smile Given In Passing
As I walked the street in the purring evening
A little maid with yellow curls
Tossed me a smile； and suddenly Pennyfields
Grew from darkness to light； and the light of the stars
Grew pale。
I may not see her again； but I hold her smile in my heart；
And she is with me in my shop and about the streets。
My shop may tumble down；
West India Dock may some time suffer a drought；
Grief and Joy come for a day；
And Hope and Fear； and Desire and Deed
Arise and pass； and are no more；
But the beauty born of her quickened smile
Can never die。
Of a National Cash Register
Last week this person； desiring to make it known
That he was in all ways moving up to the date；
Introduced into his insignificant shop
A machine…that…counts；
Called a National Cash Register；
Which announces to refined and intelligent customers
The amounts of their purchases。
This week this person purchased a whole days' amusement；
And the amount he paid for this was another's discomfiture and pain。
And； after a night of cogitation；
He is moved to reflect on the far…reaching and wholesome value
Of a National Register which would announce to the face
The cost of such pleasures as this。
Under a Shining Window
A lamplit window；
At the top of a tenement house near Poplar High Street；
Shines fluently out of the night；
And looking upward I see
That the bricks of the houses are bright and fair to the eye。
There are no flowers in West India Dock Road；
Nothing but brick and stone； and iron and spent air。
But when rough brick and stone are a shrine for beauty；
They become themselves beautiful。
Perhaps if this person encloses within himself
Beautiful thoughts and amiable intentions；
His insignificant frame may acquire
The noble outlines of that tenement house。
Exchange of Compliments
At ten o'clock last night an ugly fellow；
Of skinny exterior and most ungracious manner；
Was thrown with a total loss of gravity
》From the flapping doors of the Blue Lantern。
He lurched in most ungainly fashion past this person's shop
This person standing at his door
And used base language of an unpolished nature；
Calling him Ugly Yellow Bastard；
Hop Fiend and Dirty Doper；
Eater of Dogs and Cheater at Puckapoo；
Son…of…a…Bitch and devotee of vice。
This person did not respond in like manner；
Knowing that he is not himself all…perfect；
Nor even in every hour
A devout follower of the teachings of the Four Books。
He contented himself with repeating in a far…reaching tone；
The words of the lofty Lao Tzu：
When pot upon stove reproveth kettle for blackness；
Pot speaking out of turn。
A Song of Little Girls
I want to make a song of the little girls
That live about this quarter。
I could make a song of boys quite easily with words；
But words are too blunt for such delicate things as girls。
I would like to make my song of them with bees and butterflies。
One looks at the boy； and says Boy；
And lo； one has described him。
But little girls are morning light and melody；
Their happy hair flutters and flies； or curtains their laughing faces
Faces glad as the sun at dawn。
Their clear； cool skin is like wine to the eyes；
The lines of their fluent limbs run like a song；
And every step is a note of grace which the frock repeats。
Don't you think it a pity； and greatly to be deplored
That these should lose this beauty；
And pass from it to the guile and trickery of woman？
Of Shop Windows
Looking closely at the glass windows of my shop；
I see in them the whole of my shop reflected。
Looking at my windows closely from the street；
I see in them the life of the street reflected。
Yet if I stand away； the glass remains transparent；
And I see clearly through it to the things beyond。
If I look with close vision
Into the hearts of men；
I see my own small heart reflected。
I will try henceforth not to look at them too closely。
At the Feast of Lanterns
Lithely on their strings swing the many…coloured lanterns；
For this is the Feast of Lanterns；
And Pennyfields and West India Dock Road
Are to…night a part of my own country