Hong Kong (Fragrant Harbor) by Bill Melton

Sparkling jewel of the
South China Sea,
A gem, surrounded by diamonds
That flashes with the dancing waves.
Your sultry haze
Conceals for a moment
Victoria Peak, standing guard
Over your ancient harbor.
The rushing commerce
Conducted by your millions
In frantic haste;
On the towering spires
That millions call home.
Then, at nature’s whim
The soft warm breezes
Pull back the hazy veil
To reveal you clearly.
Everywhere, there sparkles
Brightness and beauty,
Every color of the rainbow
All meshed together by the lucky
Reds and yellows of the Orient.
Your people,
Though small in size,
So large in stature,
Their relentless determination
To succeed today,
Just as their ancestors, ages ago,
Fought just to survive.
Hong Kong!
Your roots penetrate history
And intertwine with the Egyptians,
Aztec’s, Greek’s and Romans,
Each leaving a path
Of beauty and mystery
For future cultures to ponder.
And, as I gaze at your beauty,
There is a sadness
Knowing I shall never return.
Yet I take with me
A gift of rare beauty,
Priceless in value,
For I have safely tucked
A part of you in my mind so
In future months and years,
Through a fleeting memory,
I can return for a moment
To savor you once again.