CATHAY

old cathay
slumbering leviathan
awakening giant
inscrutable oriental
yellow peril
one child nation
olympic hostess
cultural revolutionary
market socialist
carbon emissionary
factory of the whirled
now is your moment
as you come to the fore
as you prepare to take centre stage
your red flags fluttering proudly in the breeze
behind the choreography
your preeminence frightens us
your 1.3 billion outnumber us
your eastern promise woos us
your almond eyes seduce us
your staccato tongue confuses us
your elegant calligraphy beguiles us
your human rights and wrongs confound us
your embroidered silk charms us
your peeking duck makes us drool
we see you in stereotype
or is it monotype?
we ignorant westerners
what do we really know of you?