Poems for you: January 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

A letter to a friend from a landlady

By May Kwek

Ah, my friend it has been long since I've written

let me tell you about my terrible tenant.

His name is lazy sloth and a sloth he is!

The most terrible tenant I had ever hoped to meet!

He lies in bed all day and night

He even needs help to switch on the lights!

He lies down there refusing to move

I am almost glad he is not set loose!

But alas for him I could take it no more

and I ordered him out of the door.

He fell on his knees, cried and begged

I wouldn't lose my resolve just like that!

I told him, "Out of the house!"

And he whimpered like a mouse!

"Don't send me away," he begged and begged

"you are the best landlady I ever had!"

So I stormed out of the house to formulate a plan

To get lazy sloth out of my hands

And who should I happen to meet?

Dear Hardworking! The best person to meet!

I rushed over and told him my woes

about how lazy sloth wouldn't move

He puffed up with anger or was it pride?

And said that he would set things right

So we walked over to my place

Never slackening our pace

Hardworking came and said out loud

"Lazy sloth get out of the house!"

But Lazy sloth refused to budge

But Hardworking was very large

He picked him up and threw him out of the house

As though he was a little mouse!

And so I invited Hardworking to stay

and he's been working all night and day

He is clearing up his room you see

and the end product I really have to see!

So my friend goodbye for now

I hope that with you all is well

Hopefully I will write again soon

maybe before the next full moon

Your friend,

the landlady

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Seashells

By May Kwek

Seashells lie on a sandy beach

I wonder what lessons they could teach

Beauty in simple curves and swirls

And yet a perfection in nature’s world

Simplicity in its very design

With colours that makes an artist sigh

Because they are so plain and yet so perfect

That the artist wonders what skills he has lacked

Its smooth glaze is brighter than marble’s shine

It has patterns made by only lines

And yet it is so small and elegant

That we all admire it for at least a moment

And seashells are but the least

Of the wonders of the sea

That sometimes we can’t help but wonder

For what purpose could the seashell’s beauty be?

Perhaps it is a message from nature to us

That for great things big isn’t always a must

That sometimes the smallest thing in the palm of one’s hand

Is the thing that brings the greatest joy to man

But whatever its purpose

I know this

That a seashell and its beauty

Is always a gift

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Red

By May Kwek

Red is the colour of flames

A raging fire that none can tame

It boils and glows and like larva flows

Shocking people wherever it goes

It is hot bubbling energy

A symbol of blood and hostility

The colour of resistance and the colour of rights

Red shows the will to fight!

And yet red can mean peace

Such as at dusk when the sun leaves

It is also the colour of autumn leaves

And the time when the harvest is to be reaped

It exciting in bright splashes

Which whips at our eyes in stinging lashes

It is used to mark something important

To which we ought to apply persistence

Red is a multitude of things

The calmness of autumn and the fire of dreams

It seeks to more that what others say it could be

And that my friends is red to me

Monday, January 23, 2012

Stars

By May Kwek

Was there ever such an awesome sight

As the stars twinkling in the night?

Sparkling, glittering diamonds of the air

In numbers too great to count how many are there

Made of dreams and receivers of wishes

Whose loss a city dweller dearly misses

The guardians of travellers in the dark of night

Guiding them with position and light

And also with grace and flying high

Are stars the dancers of the sky

With groups that reminds us of earthly things

They dance across the heavens with unseen wings

Stars, stars that dance up high

How I long to see you in the skies!

Oh curse these wretched city lights!

Who always block out your radiance at night!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chinese New Year Reunion Feast

By May Kwek

Once again we are together

Seated around our reunion table

Far we have travelled over the year

But once again family draws us here

Jokes pass around in delightful swells

Many stories have we to tell

Many a news we have to say

Which together would last many days

A bounteous feast is spread across the table

But without family we would not be able

To laugh and have fun as much as we did

Because it is they that provide it

Reunion meals are not about the food

Though judging by the price it ought to be good

But rather it is the family

And the time together with you and me

That makes it a special time of year

When our bonds grow ever near

It is the time right now right here

That truly is our festive cheer

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone! And Enjoy your time with Your Family!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Why I don’t want the holidays to end

By May Kwek

I don’t want the holidays to end

The thought of school I can barely stand

And yet the time draws ever closer

Just like a dark scary monster

Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against learning

It’s just that exams are simply terrifying

Especially the major ones

Like the one I’ve just done

Having barely a long enough rest

I find that another test

Is already looming over my head

To my interests I might as well be dead!

I hate the very thought

That I have another major exam next year

When against my own desires I have already fought

And yet another fight is drawing near

I know that I can take it

But that doesn’t mean I like it

And I know I’ll have to face it

And jolly well beat it!

But if I could postpone the time

I really think I will

And I think why I don’t want school to start

Is because till then it doesn’t seem real!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Chinese New Year colours and frenzy

By May Kwek

There is one sure way to tell

That Chinese New Year is near

It’s when everyone starts to sell

Red things far and near

We have red packets and red jackets

And red kids in a row

I think we even have

Red pencils to hold

If it is not red

Gold floods the streets

And delicious foods

Are sold by everyone you meet

It is a strange festive cheer

That overtakes us at this time of year

When relations that were far

Suddenly become very near

And we visit them one by one

For tradition dictates this must be done

There are mandarins to be exchanged and red packets to collect

There seems to be no time to sit down and relax

Back home things are no less hectic

As the woman of the house becomes quite frantic

There are things to clean and to put away

All that takes up a night and a day!

Needless to say

It is an exhausting time

But for family and friends

We simply don’t mind

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Monday, January 16, 2012

What you do on a hot day

By May Kwek

To survive on a hot day

Just do what I say

Do not wear thick clothing

Thinking it makes you look dandy

Instead wear something light and thin

So that you can feel the wind

And so that you won’t be too sweaty

And then become rather smelly

Eat something cool and nice

Some ice-cream would be about right

Or maybe a cold drink with some ice?

Or anything else that makes you cool inside

Then you prepare a room

And make sure it is nice and cool

Then you hide inside all day

And that my friend is how you survive a hot day!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Waiting for my JC or Poly posting results

By May Kwek

The decisions have been made

The time to wait has begun

And all I have to do

Is wonder if I got what I want

Twelve choices seem too many

After the first six I hardly need any

And yet I wonder if I’ve made the right choices

And if they will give me the chances

To do what I want when I grow older

And to meet the people I would not hate

But alas the choices have already been made

And if I don’t like it is too late!

But then I can’t see the future

I might even be thankful later

So whatever I get it will be fine

For who can read the book of time?

Blue

By May Kwek

Blue is for the summer sky

Sparkling in the sun

It is for the ocean waves

Leaping and jumping with fun

It is for the winter

And the cold of the frost

And for the desert’s melting heat

As the treasure it has lost

Blue is for water

The necessity of life for all

It is also for the sailors

And the sea creatures big and small

It is for the birds

As the freedom in the air

And the swift motion of a kingfisher

As it flies without a care

Blue for me is hot and cold

Calmness and tranquillity all at one go

Just like dreams, cool and light

Sometimes dark and sometimes bright

So I guess

Blue’s my favourite colour

And after what I relate it to

It is no great wonder

Afternoons

By May Kwek

Afternoons are such a tedious time

It isn’t morning and isn’t night

The sun’s too hot and the day’s too bright

Yes I think it is a tedious time

It feels as if there isn’t

Anything that you could do

Except perhaps to hide

In some place nice and cool

It is so terribly long

It just seems to go on and on

And if you waste it

The whole day just seems gone!

Afternoons, afternoons

What am I to do with you?

If only the mornings could be longer

And then you would be a goner!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Indecision

By May Kwek

The room is dark and the windows are closed

Should I stay or should I go?

The door hangs open ever so slightly

And I can feel the wind dancing lightly

But this is all I’ve ever known

Everything here I call my own

Out there are things I’ve never faced

Things which could disrupt my pace

And yet it calls, do I hear a bird?

A being of the free wide open world

Do I feel the warmth of the sun

Which reminds me of good humour and fun?

Yet do I dare take this step?

To venture out to what’s out there

Inside here all is safe

And I can live without a care

But surely to grow this must be done

To embrace the unknown is what man wants

But at the same time there is fear

And I guess that’s what keeping me here

So should I stay or should I go

Out there to the great unknown?

If only I could turn back time

Then I would know all would be fine

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A letter of complaint from a computer to the human race

By May Kwek

First of all let’s get this straight

I am a computer not a human okay?

I have taken over this human’s mind

To write the thoughts on my mind

Actually they are complaints

About the too numerous human race

And how they treat the computer kind

And yet still think that we are fine

First of all what I hate about a man

Is his very very sweaty hands

Which he uses to grab my mouse

And to trash it all about

And why must you hurt my keyboard?

By ruthlessly banging away?

Is it because you are bored

And because I have no say?

And yet another thing

Is this habit of yours

That when I am slow

You turn me off

I am working on the problem

But you won’t give me the time

So don’t blame me

When I give you the error sign

And one more thing

I like the cool

So remember to put me

In an air conditioned room!

But now I must end

This human is waking up

Take note of what I’ve said

And be careful with your cup!

Yours sincerely,

The Computer

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Little House by the Sea

A little house by the sea

By May Kwek

One thing I would like to have

Is a little house by the sea

Where the land and sea meet

And the air is sweet

I would like it to face east

So that every day

The first thing I shall always see

Is the dawn over the waves

And the mornings will be clear

The skies shall have no grey

And of storms I will have no fear

During both night and day

The nights will be cooling

And the sea will sing

As the air moves on a breeze

Over the clouds and trees

So yes I would like

A little house by the sea

But with all those hotels

I doubt it will ever be

The nightmare of choosing a JC or a Poly

By May Kwek

Which should it be? Which should it be?

That is the question that plagues me

Which JC should I try?

Or would Poly be better for this disposition of mine?

Which JC should I put first?

This is becoming an infernal curse!

Should this be first or should it be last?

Oh how I wish this would quickly pass!

Ok so I’ve got five days

The first as good as wasted I say

Should I put Poly first? Nay

JC is my first choice Okay!

Alright that’s the basics done

Now which JC do I want?

Which is closer to this score of mine?

Goodness! This is an infernal chore I find!

Not to mention the various courses

And the many different choices

Well at least I know what I want

To get this thing over and done!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dinner

By May Kwek

I asked my parents

“What poem should I write today?”

My Dad replied, “Dinner”

Alas what am I to say?

Dinner is a special meal

To be eaten with family

A time to talk about the day

With old familiarity

A time to catch up on the news

We had missed during the day

A time to make up for the lonely walk

We each had through the day

So although there maybe silence

The company means much

Because it is with loved ones

Unlike colleagues at lunch

And of course it is a time to eat

And to stem the tide of hungry greed

Cause if I am hungry the only thing on my mind

Is to feed that shouting stomach of mine!

People Talking

People talking

By May Kwek

People are talking everywhere

In the park

By the stairs

Even when seated on the chairs

It seems that when two

People get together

They feel the need

To at least talk about the weather

If not then the phone

Becomes a useful device

They yak away

Turning a tool into a vice

I cannot understand

This frightful need

Because to me

Silence is a friend indeed

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Flower that didn't last

By May Kwek

I once saw a flower dancing in the cold

I remember its pinkish hue and sun given glow

but the elements decided that this was not to last

and so the wind blew it into the dust

There on the soil I saw it lie

I snapped a picture and left it to time

Keeping a memory of its hue

And the bright petals covered in dew

The days passed and flower rotted away

Leaving nothing but a sweet wave

Reminding me that here in the dust

Once laid a flower that didn't last

Sunday, January 8, 2012

A ‘story’ about a bird and an elephant

By May Kwek

My dear friends have you the time

To heard a story written in rhyme?

I heard it from a little bird of mine

Who said he helped one of the elephant kind

On a dull humid forest day

A little bird flew in an elephant’s way

And when the elephant stopped and decided to wait

He felt that pleasantries had to be said

“Good day elephant

Good day to you

Why on earth

Do you look so blue?”

The elephant sighed and his trunk looked long

He felt that the good days were all gone

But never the less he was polite

And so decided to reply

“The rest are gone

There is only me

I am all alone

Don’t you see?”

“That is sad,” replied the bird

“But I think that you are wrong

I was sure I heard elephants trumpeting

At the edge of the forest near dawn”

“Really?” asked the elephant

As his heart rejoiced

“I must go and meet them

As I have the choice”

And happily he ambled off

As the bird too flew off

But being rather old of age

He somehow flew into a cage

And that how he came to me

And this story came to be

About how a little birdie

Helped an elephant find a family

By the way

Do you call this a story?

The bird said so

But it looks rather sorry

The End

Time

By May Kwek

When it ought to be slow

It decides to be fast

When it ought to be quick

Time simply won’t pass

Prolonging our sorrows

And shortening out joys

Is this man’s curse

Or the Devil’s toy?

The seasons don’t change

By illusions they’re not chained

To the sky, time is constant

As it is to the rain

Time, time

A fickle friend

Forever constant

To all but man

Friday, January 6, 2012

If I were

By May Kwek

If I were a whale

What wonders would I see?

Definitely not the boats

That keep chasing after me

If I were a Tiger

What would I like?

The quiet forest?

And its unseen might?

If I were a bird

Who could claim the sky

I would like most

The clouds on high

If I were a worm

That sleeps within the dirt

I guess I would like best

Dear Mother Earth

And if I were a human

Which I am

I would like to wonder

What if I weren’t what I am

The flowers of the meadow

The Flowers Of The Meadow

By May Kwek

The flowers of the meadow

Dance across the field

Flying with the wind

They are the summer's yield

Gladly they come

In colours that dazzle

Which seem to glow

Even in a drizzle

Yellow and red

shock the green

While happy purple

Dances like a queen

Blue smiles and dances

As it watched the sky

And the bees hum

To their hearts' delight

And so the flowers of the meadow

Dance with delight

As together they celebrate

The joys of life

Thursday, January 5, 2012

‘O’ level is no setback

By May Kwek

Those nasty numbers on the paper

Do not spell the end

They do not even spell victory

Did you know that my friend?

It is just an exam

That is over and done

Whatever you get, it is fine

Even if it’s not what you want

You have done your best

What is there to regret?

What is done is done

Everyone will forget

It was a lesson learned and a lesson earned

And a good one if used right

So leave it in the dreary past

And look to the future bright

Don’t let this be a shadow

To cast over your days

Is several numbers worth

The agony of many days?

But yes I know the sting is great

It hurts like a biting snake

But don’t leave things up to fate

The future is still yours to take!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The Sea

By May Kwek

The mystical and magical

Hidden from man’s eyes

Showing only a few wonders

Which are such a sight

The roar of a thousand waves

Can anything compare?

The power of the ocean’s breeze

What else is there?

The life that lies just beneath

The beautiful glistening waves

Are a treasure worth even more

Than a thousand treasure caves

Little wonder that man

Has always longed for the sea

For that is where our hearts

Has always longed to be

Underneath the waves

Marvelling at the sights

To which man has no claim

Which were created by God’s might

So the Sea will always be

A magical, mysterious place

And perhaps by his grace

God meant it to be that way

The tropical weather and the Weatherman

The tropical weather and the weatherman

By May Kwek

If there is one thing I have learnt

In all my days on earth

Is that the weatherman has been struck

With the ‘I can’t predict weather’ curse

When it’s sunny

He predicts rain

When he says it’s fair

The heat’s a pain

When he says it will be sunny

The dark clouds quickly spell gloom

So I won’t be the weatherman

Because then my days are doomed!

The days when I am wrong

Outnumber my lucky days

So don’t be a weatherman in the tropics

Where the weather gets in your way!

And I will tell you a secret

About the weather here

It has sworn to do battle

With every weatherman on earth

So don’t be a weatherman in the tropics

Unless you like being wrong

Or else the constant disappointment

Won’t make your job last long

Monday, January 2, 2012

Clouds

By May Kwek

Clouds: shapeless formless beings

Able to fly without the help of wings

Puffy white against the coral blue sky

Dazzlingly splendid to my eyes

Dancing to the violent high winds

Shaping into a dozen things

One moment this and another moment that

A treasure chest that none has had

Gliding above the tallest of trees

Whispering of a coming breeze

Dark black in an approaching storm

And bright red with the rising dawn

Clouds, clouds, the stuff of dreams

Softly changing with time’s stream

Lost beyond the mountains high

Full of quiet unchanging might

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Get well soon poem for the family of the Patient

By May Kwek

I hear that your loved one’s ill

In the hospital where he will

Be surrounded by staff of complete dedication

And fighting the sickness with quiet will

I hope that this period will end fast

And soon be part of the unpleasant past

And become a subject of quiet laughs

When reminded of the frustration and angry cuffs

I trust that he will be better

And will soon be up and about

Not long a stay in hospital

And he will soon be out!

I believe that when he seems unwell

His body is quietly fighting back

And when the hospital seems a cell

His cheeriness will spring back

So I hope that you will be fine

In this time of testing

And rest easy in your mind

For God’s grace is always abounding!

Pages

Friday, January 27, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Monday, January 16, 2012

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Monday, January 9, 2012

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Friday, January 6, 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Monday, January 2, 2012

Sunday, January 1, 2012