Chinese and Canadian food

Sometimes in small towns
you see a Chinese restaurant
on the main street

like the Canadian Cafe
on Bridge Street
in Almonte
advertising Chinese and Canadian food

and visible through the window
is a can of buff coloured
plastic chopsticks
with engraved Chinese calligraphy
in red and blue and green

and potted plants
cacti--Christmas and jade tree

mums
sophisticated
invariably yellow

and even a fruiting ornamental orange

in such places
you are sure to find
honey garlic
chicken balls

along with
the mandatory
hamburger deluxe
meaning a tomato slice
and a leaf of lettuce
and French fries instead of mashed

and chop suey

if you please
personally
I prefer the real deal
apparently Chinese people don't eat chicken balls
considering you only get two per bird
that's a lot of chickens
and anyway
char siu

and chow fun

are much more interesting
as long as you are not worried
about getting hyper
from the impossibly red dye
and can discern
the lucky key pattern
on the plate
and get over the shell art on silk

just long enough
to see
the fish scale eyes
in a peacock's feathers
and the peony petals
picked out
with blush
mother of pearl?