Francis William Lauderdale Adams - A Glimpse Of China lyrics

I In a Sampan (Min River, Fo Kien) Up in the misty morning, Up past the gardened hills, With the rhythmic stroke of the rowers, While the blue deep pales and thrills! Past the rice-fields green low-lying, Where the sea-gull's winging down From the fleets of junks and sampans And the ancient Chinese Town! II In a Chair (Foo-cbow) From the bright and blinding sunshine, From the whirling locust's song, Into the dark and narrow fissures Of the streets I am borne along. Here and there dusky-beaming A sun-shaft broadens and drops On the brown bare crowd slow-pa**ing, The crowd of the open shops. We move on over the bridges With their straight-hewn blocks of stone, And their quaint grey animal figures, And the booths the hucksters own. Behind a linen awning Sits an ancient wight half-dead, And a little dear of a girl is Examining — his head. On a bended bamboo shouldered, Bearing a block of stone, Two worn-out Coolies half-naked Utter their grunting groan. Children, almond-eyed beauties, Impossibly mangy curs, Take part in the motley stream of Insouciant pa**engers. This is the Dream, the Vision That comes to me and greets — The Vision of Retribution In the labyrinthine streets. III 'Caste' These Chinese toil, and yet they do not starve, And they obey, and yet they are not slaves. It is the 'free-born' fuddled Englishmen Who grovel rotting in their living graves. These Chinese do not fawn with servile lips; They lift up equal eyes that ask and scan. Their degradation has escaped at least That choicest curse of all — the Gentleman! IV Over the Samovar (Foo-chow) 'Yes, I used always to think That you Russians knew How to make the good drink As none others do. 'And I thought moreover, (Not with the epicures), You might search the world over For such Women as yours. 'In both these matters now I perceive I was right, And I really can't tell you how Much I delight 'In my third (Thanks, another cup!) Idea of the fun, When your Country gets up And follows the sun! 'And just as in Europe, see, There's a Conqueror Nation, So why not in Asia be A like jubilation? 'Taught as well as organized, The eternal Coolie, From being robbed and despised, Takes to cutting throats duly! 'But — please, don't be flurried; For I daresay by then You'll be comfortably buried, Ladies and gentlemen! 'No more, thanks! I must be going! I'm so glad to have made this Opportunity of knowing Some more Russian ladies!'