Sighs fill the room as Mulan weaves the loom
She doesn’t want Father to meet his doom.
The Khan needs an army to face the Huns;
Father can barely walk let alone run.
There’s none to take his place and perhaps die:
Little brother’s too young to even try,
Elder sister can’t stand the sight of gore.
Making up her mind, Mulan goes to war.
Twelve years fighting, winning many glories,
Creating many heroic stories…
No longer a man, finally at home,
First time in forever using a comb.
Her actions inspiring veneration,
A legend for countless generations.
Stephanie Fang is a high school student at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts in upstate New York.
Though you’re apparently an adolescent, you impress me. You reveal a maturity and substance beyond your years, a talent with enough fertility to grow.