From the harbors of Guangdong the sojourners crossed the Pacific Reached the shores of Manhattan on their floating hells Torn between two cultures, yet determined to excel They lit blue gas flames under woks, working dead-end jobs Ever slaving and saving in steamy kitchens and basement sweatshops Clans and families worked together, trying to build a better life You can break a single chopstick but you can't break five Today the sons of paper sons fulfill their parents' dreams Go to college, move uptown as the enclave's bursting at the seams Look around in CHINATOWN, feel the danger in the air The balance is disturbed, and mysteries abound In a world where old and new collides and dreams are denied Hear the sound of ancient voices, smell the sulphur in the streets The old year is winding down, red shreds of fireworks litter the ground But tonight the dragon's rising in the glittering heart of CHINATOWN Start the time of the tiger with a parade of drums and dance Pass out lanterns, orange trees and joss sticks for good luck Hold banquets with dumplings, dim sum and Beijing duck Hit the tourist traps and markets, play mahjong to pass the time  Stroll down neon-splattered sidewalks near pagoda roofs and chimes Teenage fighters roam Canal Street, led by brothers from Hong Kong Watching theaters and nightclubs for gambling rings and tongs Revolving faces, schemes and bribes control the bureaucratic rondo As developers change the skyline from tenements to condos Look around in CHINATOWN, feel the danger in the air The balance is disturbed, and mysteries abound In a world where old and new collides and dreams are denied Hear the sound of ancient voices, smell the sulphur in the streets The old year is winding down, red shreds of fireworks litter the ground But tonight the dragon's rising in the glittering heart of CHINATOWN Old folks remember the homeland, rice fields, temples, crumbling walls Where foo dogs guard imperial jade halls and multinational banks Forty centuries of culture, inventions, poetry and art Silk worms and lotus flowers die, pollutants hang in the sky Like the dust from nine-eleven drifting through New York Look around in CHINATOWN, feel the danger in the air The balance is disturbed, and mysteries abound In a world where old and new collides and dreams are denied Hear the sound of ancient voices, smell the sulphur in the streets The old year is winding down, red shreds of fireworks litter the ground But tonight the dragon's rising in the glittering heart of CHINATOWN © 2013 Alex Schaetzing. All Rights Reserved.