A Chinese Garden

"based on true story, place"

I once spent an afternoon wading through 

a Chinese garden

counting 

turtles until I lost track 

of exactly how many fingers and 

toes I’d been alloted. 

She seemed more interested in the varieties 

of soup, how 

the shells reminded her of bowls, 

jade porcelain

ceramic 

each filled with the promise of

some peculiar flavor

I’d never attempted before.  

If all of us went there

again, looking 

to see 

what had become of all the little snappers, 

we’d find the garden

overrun by Ottos. 

The gardener tells me people 

prefer 

Shih Tzus to 

terrapins

so they sold paradise, 

put in a doggies park.

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Perhaps we are warm blood chauvinists.

[willweb]

Wow, I read this knowing because of your note it was a true story and that is pretty wild. I don't think I have ever seen a garden like that, dog parks yes, but the other one...That's what I like about your poetry my friend, it is always a new experience.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

This is such an exotic yet very relatable scenario you have presented Ken. Great Joni reference as well. I guess dog parks are much better than parking lots, but the little turtles become collateral damage of progress and change. Great narrative, concise, free style and authenticity. Food for thought as well… Excellent write. My dog concurs :))

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks Annette. and it is a true story

[DIVYA]

I think it was a bad choice to replace that garden with a doggies park. Too many turtles there for it to have ended well for all of them and its sad to think that quite a few of them were killed to make way from something so much more common, mundane and certainly noisier. You said it beautifully here Ken, paradise sold.

[Ken e Bujold]

its a true story. some years back I was with my wife in Singapore, and we went to a Chinese garden that was also a turtle sanctuary. I fell in love with the place, and we would go every time we were in Sing. But sings are not the type to stay static. Change is inevitable. I miss the turtles, but for the dogs a place to run in Sing is an amazing luxury. Such is life

[DIVYA]

They have very little space and yet are the richest nation of Asia so they must want to do a lot of stuff with that limited space. Singapore must be an awesome place to live. Must see.

[Ken e Bujold]

Sing is a great place to visit. Clean, safe, fantastic food, marvelous architecture and cultural sights. I love it. First went in late 80s. Been married to one for almost 20 yrs now, so it is my 2nd home. That said, they have an insatiable need to tear down and build up again. Every time we return it takes a week or so to recalibrate on what's missing. Like my turtles.

[DIVYA]

You're so lucky to have that city as your 2nd home. Its an amazing place.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?

Channeling Joni Mitchell and JA I see. Quite a nice ride. I like them both. And you, of course. This is mostly you.

Winston

[Ken e Bujold]

this is based on a true story. Long ago Muse and I where killing a day in Sing and went to a Chinese Garden, which also happened to be a turtle sanctuary. I was enthralled by all the free-ranging turtles, my wife kept talking about how hungry she was. A few years later when we suggested a return visit I was told by friends the sanctuary was gone, and the garden was now a dog off-leash park.
Such are the oddities of life in Singapore. Can't tell you what happened to the turtles, but I suspect a few probably did end up in the soup