Mansions

 

The golden powder empires，

Villas of top and fortunate entrepreneurs，

In the gilded age ，dubbed by writer Mark Twain–

Also a Chinese saying；“Covered by fantastic surface of gold and Jade，it is ruined inside”．

 

Still stretches along ocean coast on high cliff ，

With magnificent architectural styles–

 Italian Renaissance ，Greek Romanesque，

French Baroque ，Chinese tea pavilion．

 

Interior displays luxurious ，splendid，dazzling –

Africa pink and brownish yellow marbles，

Rare wood carvings inspired by the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre，colorful mosaics，

French castle fireplace and large mantelpieces．

 

Hanging window sills designed in shapes of Louis 14 ，and woven ingeniously by green silk velvet，

Venetian ceiling decorated with mythological paintings，

The oven is also a replica of Versailles．

 

Classical stone statues scattered，

Alongside the fountain pool in heart of garden，

Gorgeous flowers and leafy trees，

 But the rose garden that the owner of the villa loved –

Is not seen! ...

 

Cheering giants and celebrities traversed and intertwined ，

Dancing at elegant spacious ballroom halls，

Hilarious parties，in Tuxedos and Gothic Victorian Dresses．

 

This Dutch immigrant descendant tycoon–

Imitated，even surpassed–

Wealth and luxury of the arrogant European aristocracy，

Yet still taunted with lack of noble pedigree，

Who knows the grievances inside the high walls?

 

When a fairy tale began…

A mansion of Marble House given to Alva Vanderbilt–

As birthday gift ，but three years late，

She divorced and remarried …

Such a precious gift unable to smoothen broken marriage ，

Only the century-old giant tree still embraces the House，

As a silent and loyal guardian!

 

Vicissitudes of life，

The world is circular of prosperous and dying fate，

Many mansions demolished，donated ，

Or merchandising，wedding scenes， or filming movies．

 

Indeed，rich is enviable and admirable ，     

As if a spring flower is easy to wither，

As if a floating cloud， broken dream，or

Morning dew and flash lightning–

Sigh！anyhow，I have never been rich ，nor poor...