Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Poetry 2019 | Page 29

The Ming Treasure Voyages
Harrow International School Hong Kong, King, Thalia - 11
The glowing crimson boat sailed gracefully away,
Skimming the waves like an eagle with wings of the wind.
Frightened young sailors on board, clutching their pounding hearts,
Peered into the vanishing distance, waving goodbye.
Soon, a day seemed like weeks, many tears were wiped away,
The Ming Treasure Crew practically felt like giving in.
No land could be seen, all around was only the sea.
Azure seawater sparkling from the golden sun,
The smells of warmth mingled with scents of salty water.
A log of wood marked with notches kept track of the time,
Dreams were flooding with land visions in the horizon.
The Ming Treasure Voyage had been sailing for a month,
The sailors on board noticed dark thunder clouds blooming,
As it filled the sky with ominous shakes, alarm grew.
“A storm is coming!” cried a sailor. ”A storm coming!”
The boat shuddered as an immense wave struck it fiercely.
Confused, the captain lost control of the steering wheel,
A sharp turn knocked the crew off their feet like dominoes.
Abruptly, a ragged rock bashed into the shocked ship,
BANG! An enormous hole ripped open in the ship’s hull.
Water gushed through the ship, it caused a large commotion.
What could be done? Terrified murmurs grew amongst all.
Even the elder sailors seemed to drain of colour,
But one wise idea burst free from a thoughtful head,
“We should pile up a couple of barrels, one by one,
After that, the hole will hopefully surely be gone!”
As they predicted, no water leaked through anymore,
That mission was completed, all they had to do now,
Was to fulfil their hugely tough challenge from before.
Just then, they saw that precious golden key sparkling...
The eye-catching sight of land, land in the horizon,
Stretched their mouths open like a flexible rubber band,
As lapping waves led the ship to the destination.
The island inhabitants gazed at them in wonder,
Who were these different people, just where had they come from?
Different shade of skin they wore, but same kind of creatures,
What exactly was their plan, what could be in their chests?
Knives the villagers uncovered, their hate they unleashed.
A courageous man ended what would have been a fight.
“Stop! We come in peace!” With that, he hurled the treasure down.
The treasure chest filled to the brim with gold and soft silk.