What About The Dragons? Poem by Dr Ronnie Bai

What about the Dragons?

I. Tien Long (Sky Dragon)

What vexes the dragon? He is so sad—
Giant foreign birds freely ply his path,
And their turbine heat wake doth mostly add
Turbulence to sky's scales searing steam bath.

Foregoing his heavenly abode high and dry
He canst not land in th' forest of chimneys
Hammered spikes towards th' darkened dusty sky
Holding a vast black veil on all counties;

Nor canst he land on th' burning concrete blocks
Of cities' tall towers that barely breathe
Amidst smoldering smog and seething toxics
Of car fumes with squelching tarmac underneath.

How canst he command cool winds and rain clouds
When Overlord's madness the whole land shrouds?


II. Di Long (Earth Dragon)

What bothers the dragon? He canst not rest —
His worshippers are driven off their land
By rich townspeople who throng to them divest
Of th' fertile fields for fancy villa land.

Foregoing his earthy abode far and wide
He canst not head for the snares of mountains
Blasted holes of blighted granite deep inside
Shuttling earth-rocking cargo trucks and trains;

Nor canst he turn to th' urban underground
Crisscrossed with speed network with cabled power
Posing to impound him deep, dark and dumbfound
And crash into him, and run him over.

He canst not lay low but rise, roll and roar
As land's peace and Overlord's mind are at war.


III. Sui Long (River Dragon)

What vexes the dragon? and sets him to quirk?
Not the water ways and lake inlets clogged
With stinky silt of sewage that he has to shirk
And that hast his watery gardens' gates blocked;

Nor th' bloated bodies of plagued pigs afloat
Down the river amidst red, orange, and black
Industrial release into his people' throat
Their mouth corners foaming, their bodies slack;

But hydro dams high jacking his palace
Flooding temples for his homeless worshippers
Setting fuming fishermen onshore apace
And drowning ancient sentinel pinus.

Wait until he sweeps his giant smacking tail
Wiping away Overlord's pride. Make him wail.


IV. Hai Long (Sea Dragon)

What dost the dragon feel most sorry for?
Village girls having no nets for mending
Whose fathers catch nothing in shore, off shore
Where no dolphins play, and no dolphins sing?

Or rock oysters, mussels and whelks removed
From frying pans of his seaside believers
Laden with lead, copper, mercury lab proved
And changing their sea food for pig livers?

Or coral reefs broken by oil rigs drilling,
Tankers emptied and refilled with oil spills,
Tugged scrap metal ships rusting and leaking,
A towed empty aircraft carrier that rattles?

When seas surge to swell out languid lagoons
Expect nothing but tidal waves and typhoons.


V. Sheng Long (Spiritual Dragon)

What makes the dragon falter and despair,
Besides stench seeping throughout th' holy land,
Where for him people have no incense to spare
As they will burn it at the Overlord's stand—

Stench of power, stench of money, and stench
Of rotten soul? Termed offices they treat
As gold diggers' pouch and goldsmiths' bench—
Inside big families traders don't cheat.

Shining examples for all sinners to follow:
Patient men glad to sell impatient soul,
Impatient girls prompted to price their love low,
And monks praying aloud for bigger dole.

Overlord may as well utter no single word,
Until th' dragon spits fire on th' entire herd.