Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Poetry 2019 | Page 132

Out the In-Between
West Island School, Donaldson, Armelle - 15
Gliding across the still waters,
Only the lapping of water is heard. Hush.
We sail through valleys engulfed
In a blanket of mist.
It sticks to our skin.
Cranes stroke
the water’s surface like Chinese calligraphy. Smooth and
Delicate.
Memories of paper cranes in a childhood.
Dawn. Then
Dusk.
We drift through time.
The sun draws circles on the horizon.
Home is
f a r
a w a y .
They greet us with vibrant colors. Cloths of
Crimson, chestnut, and emerald, swindled around their
Bodies. Feathers and
Rings of gold dangle from their ears.
With their feet they strike
The earth, their hands twist in the air and they
Shake to the man playing thunder.
We watch. The sun
Becomes drowsy.
It spills blood on the sky.
Porcelain jars, embroidered with
Lotus blossoms. Gold necklaces. Ivory. A dragon
Guards the treasure of a silkworm. We
Offer our gifts to the big man with the carved wooden rod.
His face is the moon and his eyes
Hold the stars. It speaks warmth.
Night stains the sky. They play with
The sun in their hands.
We make noise
Beneath the tree, until a sparrow summons dawn.
Now. The wind
Rallies us back to the east. We align to
Pay respect
Before we part.
Curious eyes gaze out
Into the unknown
Where we have been before.
Reverent bows, our hands clasp
Theirs.
In a touch, two worlds
Become one.