"in the countryside"

My friends are looking at real estate
    in the countryside to Beijing's north
you can lease a big 20-year plot of land
    for something like 90 bucks a month
and build your home there!   unconcerned
    with acquisition's imperatives
you'd camp in style   no tent but a house
    sporting all the modern conveniences

one spot is situate next to a lake
    where sunset hues on the water shine
you find fields of corn all kelly green
    you see stands of poplar all thin & fine
after ambling earthen paths beside
    this possible future dwelling-plot
we repair to a country inn and dine
    on birds-of-the-wild & cornbread hot

talk turns to next year's summer games
    that keep Beijing in a tizzy of late
the artist Linhai describes what music
    he'd like to hear the pageant play
its tones should be deep as night   informed
    by cadences of the brooding earth
like sounds of Tibetan Lamas' drones
    but a friend opines it won't come forth


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[reflecting on last night's local excursion;
90 bucks: speaking in terms of US currency
summer games: the 2008 Olympics]