The teddy bear speaks excellent Mandarin.
Ten inches tall, a plump fellow, close
set eyes above a pug nose, it paces
around me muttering,
now in Rumanian. I try to ignore it,
focus on cloud faces, green hues
hung on breezes, haunting arias
almost audible. The bear's caftan,
yellow oriental headdress and red tufted
crown, out-shout my stuffed toy embraces.
The last I remember, it toddled
away, cursing those who lack ability
to love and command of its language.
© Crane 2005
