Nicolas Liu

by James Mar

Nicolas Liu was a troublesome kid.
He made trouble in everything he did.

Whether at home, school, or play,
Nick rebelled in every way.

It wasn't unusual for Nick to play hooky.
When it came to starting fights, he was no rookie. 

The reason his behavior persisted,
Was due to a sadness that existed.

Ever since his father had gone away,
No one was there to show him the right way. 

His mother would ask, "Where have you been?"
"My patience with you is wearing thin."

"Just hangin' in Chinatown, no big deal.
If you think I'm messing around, get real!"

In the past, Nick's mom heard it before,
It's a comment she's had to ignore. 

But with a bit of fear and concern,
Nick's mother made an interesting turn.

"To keep you off the street,
There's someone you must meet."

"Do you know Sifu Yuen who teaches kung fu?
I spoke with him and he's agreed to teach you."

"Learn Chinese kung fu?  Yeah, that's cool!
No one would mess with me, I'd rule!"

When Nick went to Yuen's school the next day, 
He was introduced to the martial way.

From the get-go, he was told to what to expect.
Not to abuse the art and how to respect.

"The style of our kung fu is called 'Wing Chun',
It was developed by a Shaolin nun."

"As legend has it a girl named 'Yim Wing Chun'
Was taught this style to fight a bully.  She won."

"Its only purpose should be to self defend.
And not for starting fights that never end."

"The first form you will learn is 'siu lim tao.'
Meaning 'little idea', I'll show you how."

Nicolas watched and moved at a snail like pace.
Minutes later Nick became red in the face.

"What is this stuff?  Where's the punches and kicks?
Is this a joke?  Are you through playing tricks?"

"Don't worry, you'll find out its use.
Just relax and try to stay loose."

"Kung fu requires patience, hard work, and repetition.
Control yourself in the face of foolish opposition."

"One must be responsible for the action he takes.
Even for accidents and especially the mistakes."

"If you want function, punch towards me.
It has its purpose, you'll plainly see."

"Tan sao!  Wu sao!  Fook sao!
See? Now you've found out how."

Nicolas left there impressed and wanted more.
He returned each time more eager than before.

Kung fu was a way to vent his frustration,
Inside a tightly controlled situation. 

As time went by, Nick cleaned up his act.
He played by the rules and that's a fact.

Sifu Yuen regarded him like an adopted son.
Getting to know the other students was also fun.

With wisdom, honor, and chivalrous thought,
Nick applied to his life all he was taught.