Charlie Chan and his
Contribution to Racial
Harmony in America
 


Charlie Chan, Chinaman,
never saying the or an
or using personal pronoun -
please, may ask question? -

Charlie chases villains down
the laundered streets of Chinatown,
from Paris to the pyramids,
through heavy oriental lids

viewing evidence aslant -
please, this was no accident -
and ties it all up with a piece
of Hollywood Confucius.

With mincing steps like Widow Twanky -
softly softly catchee monkey -
a Swedish gent in yellowface
impersonates the Chinese race

crudely, but not unkindly;
audiences, fondly, blindly,
learn to love their fellow man:
Charlie Chan, American.

David Callin

If you have any comments on this poem, David Callin would be pleased to hear from you.