This poem can be read horizontally (left to right) or vertically (top to bottom). It was originally written in Chinese and MediaGlyphs.
What follows is a literal, then a free translation.

observe civilizations go under the sea
    life getting increasingly quick
undertake like silent tide
    the more death is intense, the more it wakes
obtain complete power, rule the world

notice that life gains from death
    the more civilizations act, the more they get complete
descend like extreme power
    sea, the calmer it is, the more it commands
go as rapid tide, wake up the world