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Friday, January 27, 2012

A letter to a friend from a landlady

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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Seashells


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Red


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Monday, January 23, 2012

Stars


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chinese New Year Reunion Feast


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Why I don’t want the holidays to end


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Chinese New Year colours and frenzy


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Monday, January 16, 2012

What you do on a hot day


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Waiting for my JC or Poly posting results


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?

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Blue


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Afternoons


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Indecision


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A letter of complaint from a computer to the human race


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

The nightmare of choosing a JC or a Poly


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dinner


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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Flower that didn't last

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 

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Sunday, January 8, 2012

A ‘story’ about a bird and an elephant


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Time



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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Friday, January 6, 2012

If I were


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Thursday, January 5, 2012

‘O’ level is no setback


‘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!

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The Sea


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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Monday, January 2, 2012

Clouds




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

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Get well soon poem for the family of the Patient


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!   

Copyright © 2012 by May Kwek