works by william pham, 2005-present

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Banh mì thit nuong

The ingredients of banh mì thit nuong
Are as follows:

A loaf of French bread cut in halves and buttered;
Marinated slices of grilled pork and pâté;
Green onions, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, and carrots.

It smells like how it tastes like how it looks,
A sandwich that belongs in Paris, London, and New York
As much as it belongs in a Westminster sandwich shop
Or a suburban San Jose living room, where "Paris by Night"
Plays from a top-of-the-line home entertainment system.

Every color is a complement to a flavor,
A snap of the fingers again and again,
Keeping time to our rhythmic chewing
As if we were all Beat poets,
Drinking ca phe sua da
Instead of coffee and cream.

Our mouths are full of bread
And pork
And vegetables
Instead of words.

So we boat people remain on boats,
Eating banh mì thit nuong.

copyright (c) 2006 by william pham