What Menace

I saw ten ships departing north, From out the grand Canal. They each were armed with cannons four, With mighty rationale. Atop them flew my country's flag, A phoenix white in pride, It struck about the side of crag, The first ship sank and died. I saw nine ships all leave the docks, to meet our mortal foes. The men unlocked the musket-box, To autocrats depose! The ship turned round to bring its blows, The cannons roared aloud! A crack and break pierced through the air, The ninth warship was drowned. Now eight ships sailed upon the silt, The silt of Yangtze's flow. The masts all bent, the foam was sent, And scattered back as loam. A foreign ship had turned its side, Revealing newfound strength, Fifteen cannons all yelled and cried, The eighth warship was spent. The seven sisters of the waves, were whittled down to six. The enemy had come our way, And seen through our fast tricks. I watched with fear, the Enemy, Had then began to fire. The graceful, capital city, Was lit up like a pyre. The rush of waves and smell of salt, Had mixed with sulphur's stench, The Capital was 'neath assault, The spires broke and bent! Ships six and five were set alight, As crew leapt off the sides, The four remained in piercing sight, Of our foe's mighty height. A ship was sunk, the Enemy! We gave a mighty cheer, Yet another of their thirty ships, Pointed their cannons near. An iron ball did strike the fourth, The third was quickly flamed, The sight did shake me to the core, For only two remained. The two last sisters not yet dead, Watched on in fear and tire, As screaming phoenix reared its head, And shot out mighty fire! A second sun had come undone, And lit the sky in gold, The tallest temple, our last hope, Was grip't by talon's hold. The sister ship was smashed to bits, By a myriad cannon's fire, I leapt over the flaming deck, And crouched in a wet mire. I looked above to see my home, In cinders and in smoke, The golden Phoenix had gripped the white, And with its talons choked.