Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Poetry 2019 | Page 59

An Autobiography of Zheng He
Ying Wa Primary School, Lam, Cheuk Kwan - 11
On the day I became a eunuch,
I knew that my life wouldn’t be ordinary.
My guess was true,
my life was specific.
Ma He I was once named,
and was castrated by Ming armies.
I was sent to the palace,
and being a eunuch was destined.
I learnt martial arts,
which an old eunuch taught me.
I became the emperor’s guard,
protected him with all my heart.
I was told by the emperor to have a voyage,
this was the voyage of my life.
I had to go to foreign countries,
the voyage may last for ages.
There were hundreds of ships,
hundreds of men.
I was the admiral,
I can command them all just by my fingertips!
I went to Champa, Java, and Malacca,
I defeated the armies of Ceylon.
I confronted pirates at Palembang,
I went also to Semudera.
I spread Ming’s glory,
Shared our wealth to the world.
Now I am fragile and old,
I have only this story.