old, wet decks
Creeping dawnThe gentle whir of enginesSwishing yellow watersThe Yangt-ze-KiangKowtung GorgeYellow wallsYellow skyCruel yellow rapidsSneering, hideous rapidsWaiting, waiting to crushThe gunboat.A crouched figure,Shivering, watching.A blue figure,The lookoutSilent, half-blind.Pulling hungrily at a cigaretteWatching, watching the dawn.Cold, wet decks.The brittle fingers of the helmsman.The smarting eyes of the pilotThe yellow gorgeThe yellow watersThe sudden crash of musketry,Whirling yellow men on the banksAn alarm gong,The whimper of the lookoutThe hysterical laugh of a machine gun.