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2005-11-17 - 9:05 p.m.

a dark rain and streetlights

in the year 1008, the author of
the kiang ning fu chi wrote of
black salamanders that swam
among the water weeds
in pools on the mou prairie.


they had heads like lizards
dark red undersides, four
feet and five toes in paler colors.
cultivated in the sublime lake of tsen-tse
on the summit of mount luchan,
it was believed
they were the sons
of the celestial dragon.
peasants would beseech them
to call down the rain
during especially dry seasons.


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