Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Poetry 2017 | Page 85

How It Was Back Then
Delia School of Canada, Ukeyima, Terese Craig - 14
A beautiful day in Shanghai
but not beautiful for a struggling to feed his family
living in a house not good with his family
with holes on the roof water drops
when it was morning the family didn’t wake
there was silence in the room as water falls from the roof top
tik tok tik tok tik tok as he wakes up from sleep
on a patched bed , holes smelling like a sock just removed after sport
He is greeted when he woke up “ zaoshing hao pa”
he replies with the feeling of joyfulness saying “zaohang hao wo de haizi”
he sets and he goes to make living
as he grabs his old bicycle and heads out to work
he reaches in a crowded place where he stood for hours waiting for any job
a woman approaches and says carry this bag for few coins!
filled with metal so heavy for a old man to carry even on an old bike
he had to feed his family with any opportunity for a job to do
as he puts this load on his bike with a help of his friend
he pushes his bike to so that he climb on it to pedal forward
as he struggles and pedals with his very best strength
though it was a long journey he tried he’s very best to do it
and after that he had reached the destination he suffered for
he was payed $ 20, he went back as quick as possible
as he goes home he gives it to his wife to get
for the kids to eat, he sits back hoping for some
he could get a little to eat but it was just too little to eat
as the son sets he goes out to get some coins again
he couldn’t do anything again due to his illness
he fell to the ground as he was rushed to the hospital
he passed out, his family were told what happened they whipped bitterly
as days and night passes he was buried on 9, october 1969