Poems for you: 2014

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Yosemite

By May Kwek

There is a place carved by glaciers

That no one knew was there

It grew wild and unfettered

With freedom in the air

It was hidden away for eons

This temple of nature grand

Locked away for ages

From the sight of man

No one thought to look

For such a place could not exist

Such a place, so remote

It was easy to miss

But to see it, to discover it

Is worth every trouble to get there

For the place breathes of magic

And it lingers in the air

To see the brilliant Yosemite falls

Glide down to the earth

Like wisps of smoke slowly descending

While singing of the day with mirth

Then to go closer

Simply stop and stare

Hear the roar of the water

As the spray flies up to the air

To stand simply amazed

As the roaring falls transforms into a river

That weaves its way through the forest

As though strolling but even slower

And to hear the laughter of that river

As it skips over rocks and stones

Is to drink the deepest contentment

That I have ever known

But then to look up and stare

Uncomprehending at the mountains

At the glistening snow that powders it

And the musical silence, listen!

Listen to the song of the mountains

The majesty that fills your soul

The harmonizing of the trees

Upturns all beauty you have known

And to see the same snow on Half dome

Winding paths for you through the forest

Where as you walk the sweet singing of birds

Can be heard from amongst the trees caress

And the clear Merced river

As it silently flows

With water as clear as crystal

And the river bed shows

Oh but what are these words

But a lone lamp compared to the day

For some things make you catch your breath

But this takes it away

Christmas' Song

By May Kwek

Oh rejoice it is Christmas!

The brightest day of the year

Even if not apparent in the sky

Our hearts are filled with cheer!

There is a song in the air

It has been singing since the morn

Can you hear what it is saying?

That the Savior is born!

Oh it is a grand old song

That has been played for thousands of years

But on Christmas day

Is when it seems near

It is a song that fills my heart

That adds a spring in my step

A joy that can’t be torn apart

That for a year has slept

This song that rises through the air

And fills the hearts of men

Seeks out their hurts and then

Slowly helps them mend

This joy that makes one want to sing

To jump into the sky and take wing

This is the joy of the Christmas morn

It is the joy that the Savior is born!

This is what makes Christmas Christmas

More than any Christmas tree

More than a truck load of presents

Tucked under the tree

More than traditions and dinners

And laughter with family

Not that these aren't important

But none can make me as happy

As the joy

That my Savior's birth has given

That one day soon

We will be with him in heaven

And that thanks to his gift

We shall never be apart

And for that Christmas’s joy

Shall ever be in my heart!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Forest Melody

By May Kwek

The forest melody is high and shrill

It speaks of a life ever in a thrill

As wild as the distant hills

Lived only through force of will

Its song lasts long into the night

And is renewed with the morning light

It’s only ever heard, it’s never in sight

But yet seems mysterious and bright

It is sung by the lingering breeze

The ever swaying, whispering trees

By the birds hiding amongst the leaves

And the rippling forest streams

It is heard by all with ears

Both the young and old in years

Some find in it safety and others fear

For either way the forest in near

For it sings of life in the tree’s shadows

Of its many highs and many lows

Of the dances meant just for show

And fights for one’s life to hold

And forever will the forest melody be sung

As it has since the forest first begun

Of life springing in the sun

And resting when the day is done

Lady Storm

By May Kwek

Lady Storm is walking through

Her head as high as the clouds

Ominous, dark and thick as a blanket

Harbinger of doubts

Lightning flashes from her eyes

And they are shockingly bright

She roars in anger and in pain

Till the day is as dark as night

Her tears fall like rain of arrows

Falling through the air

And drapes around her like a fine veil

As delicate as a hair

And as she glides through the town

It sways with each step

Swooshing like a curtain in the wind

In the middle of an afternoon nap

But oh how she cries and cries

As she has ever since she was born

So mind where you go and mind where you sleep

And watch out for Lady Storm

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Pirate treasure

By May Kwek

Something lost something found

Something buried underground

Something that glitters something gold

Something that has men’s hearts in its hold

Something pure something tainted

Something worth less than it’s measured

Something stolen something given

Something of hell something of heaven

Something left beneath the sand

Something passed from hand to hand

Something of cost something free

Something of land something of sea

Something belonging to kings and queens

Something of the wildest dreams

Something of the twinkling night sky

Something of the sun blazing high

Something something, beneath the sand

Something something, a treasure map at hand

Something something, that we hope to see

Something something, that the foolish think is free

Fire in the night

By May Kwek

It was a perfectly ordinary evening

That faded to a perfectly ordinary night

Inside some were sleeping

Or reading by the lamp light

Then there came a perculiar smell

That we couldn’t quite place

It smelled to me like incense

But there was none in this place

In vain we searched

All around the room

Then turned to the window and found

Smoke obscuring the moon

Dimly we seemed to hear

The calls of “Fire!”

So we left our home quickly

To see what was the matter

But when we reached the lowest floor

It was a horror that we found

Flames that blazed out like a serpent’s tongue

Hell on earth not underground

Like a river of flames

It gushed out from the window

Flickering, leaping

As the frame melted and broke

And fell glowing red

On to the ground

Oh how some screamed

At that sight and sound

Rising ever higher

The flames vaporised to smoke

As black as the night that surrounded it

To choke out any hope

Then some sank like whispers

Closer to the ground

And I felt the heat of the fire

Though I was seven floors down

And around me a hoard had gathered

And we stared and stared

Others whipped up phones and cameras

And their hopes and fears shared

Little children clung on to their mothers

Their faces drawn with worry and fear

And their mothers knowing without words

Quietly drew them near

And the fire continued to blaze

A bright inferno in the night

And sent down showers of glass and metal

To all watching by its light

It was horrific, beastly and terrible

As was the scar it left

A woman crying silently

At the fire’s theft

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Mistaken identity

By May Kwek

Today I went to the botanic gardens

And there were a lot of things to see

Flower, ducks, pond skaters

And butterflies flying free

Exploring I ended up

In some place fairly new

Walked around, took pictures

Of things I never even knew

Then a bunch of foreigners said out loud

From behind a wall of plants

“Look! A bunch of caterpillars!”

Now that’s a sight I want

As soon as they left

I hurried over to see

Looked and then departed

Even more hastily

For instead of caterpillars

Lounging and munching around

I saw too many centipedes

Crawling on the ground

What to write?

By May Kwek

Some take a long time to write a poem

They antagonise over it day and night

Strangely not for me

I write fast under the moonlight

In fifteen minutes or less

A poem I produce

It looks like the others I have here

An easy skill to use

For to me poems are no art

No celestial melody

But a simple skill

I use for you and for me

A skill needs to be honed

As a knife needs to be sharpened

So to write more and practise

Should be my clear mission

But poems need topics

And often I have none

So alas tell me

What is to be done?

Hot hot hot days

By May Kwek

The days are so hot now

The skies blaze with light

Blinding, dazzling

Brighter than a sea of sunlight

The air hangs like a heavy curtain

It is so still

Stifling, choking

A tree would wilt

The very atmosphere glows

Like an golden mist

Oh how it makes us long

For the rain’s sweet kiss!

What am I doing out?

The birds are wiser than me

Look! I see some sparrows

Wisely hiding in the shadow of a tree

NTU’s Teas

This was written in early June. I was rather late in putting it up.

NTU’s Teas

By May Kwek

About a week ago

I was invited to NTU

No, actually, the Mandarin Orchard hotel

“Specially invited are you”

So said the invitation

And being curious I went

I came back sore and tired

But the hours I will not repent

The bus ride there was long

The timing was all wrong

But I made it just in time

And what did I find?

A huge ballroom

With silly speakers

A personalised place card

For each of the sitters

I took my place

At the front of the room

Just left of the stage

There was plenty of room

We had a professor at my table

And so did the rest

Some had alumni

Wonder which was the best?

Questions were tabled

And each one answered

The professor was real friendly

I stayed while it lasted

But it was rather strange to find

On my way back home

That I had my tea in a hotel

And my friend in the lecture room

The Forbidden Hill

May Kwek

A long time ago

In a land right on my back door

There was a hill

Forbidden to all

It was the home

To Kings and to Queens

Where the whole island

And the bay could be seen

There was palace there

So very long ago

It is gone now

From mind and memory too

I wonder what happened there

What stories took place

Who grew up there?

And were they in the King’s grace?

Why was it abandoned?

What crisis took place?

What would cause the royal house

To fall into disgrace?

The hill is no longer forbidden

Now it is open to all

Yet when I visit

I still see royalty’s fall

Dinner at Rendezvous

May Kwek

It has been a long time

Since we have been here

In fact the last time

Was longer than my years

Its location was charming

By the Singapore river

And food was not too bad

Compared to my expectations much better

However the method of ordering

Was frankly inefficient

Though I suppose it may work in some ways

Speed can’t be their mission

The cuisine is distinctly local

With curry and spice

And gravy and chili

Which is supposed to be nice

Chicken cooked

In many different ways

And many dishes

Whose names I can’t say

Here I must profess my ignorance

In my dealings with food

But I know that if I can eat it

Usually, it is good!

Friday, May 9, 2014

Yesterday's Toyland

By May Kwek

When I was fairly young

I stretched out my hand

Took up a little teddy bear

And Toyland began

It was as crazy a world

As a seven year old could make it

Flying animals and carriages

We even added school in it!

My sister was old enough

So I added her in

And we created a world

Of Kings and Queens!

It was relatively simple

At the beginning at least

A family of royals

And many nephews and nieces

But it grew larger

Quite rapidly too

Especially when our toys had special powers

Each one with about two

So we created ranks

Titles and such

Palaces and treats

For the toys that were made much

It was a fun time

For a good six years

But I grew up and left

With my sister in tears

It has been

About seven years since that time

I am about to enter university

And play not with toys but rhymes

Still I can’t deny

That some of that kid is still in me

Look at all I write

I still try to be funny

Though the innocence of the time

Has slowly been lost

I guess in growing up

This is the cost

To learn more about the world

This is the price I have to pay

I can’t be a kid forever

That had to end someday

But I will always have

That golden memory

Of the times in Toyland together

My sister and I happy

Yet another phone cover

By May Kwek

My sister has gotten a new phone cover

It is gold and quite bright

No, I mean it literally

It fairly glows at night

By some electric mischief

It changes colour

First red then blue then green

And a great many other!

But the problem was

That it kept on glowing

And after a few hours

It was quite irritating

So my sister

In a fit of remorse

Took out the battery

And the glow is lost!

Ah my dear sister

What did you do?

Taking away the cover’s glow

Wasn’t that cruel of you?

What tomorrow brings

By May Kwek

A plant doesn’t choose where to grow

And neither did I

The sun doesn’t choose when to rise

Neither did I

I didn’t choose my place of birth

Nor my dear family

My friends came by accident

As did the joy they have brought me

My schools weren’t planned

Much less my difficulties

Nor how I was taught to deal with them

And life’s uncertainties

I didn’t groom my personality

Or my likes and dislikes

I didn’t choose my temperament

Or that in which my heart delights

Yet I have chosen

A path which to take

It is the most logical

That I can currently make

A suitable beginning

To the rest of the journey

But who I am I don’t know

Nor where this path will take me

The road ahead winds and curves

And I can’t choose or plan it

Who I meet, the opportunities I will have

Who can foretell it?

No I am not the captain of my fate

Much less the master of my soul

But at least my Lord is at the helm

And where he steers I’ll gladly go

Friday, May 2, 2014

The one that got away

By May Kwek

For years I have been chasing butterflies

Both in the afternoon and morning light

Watching them as they glide and fly

Studying their lovely flight

During all those years

I just seemed to know where they were

What would start them and cause them fear

What would let me draw near

So a few years ago

When school rules became more lax

I started to photograph them

As they sun bath and relax

I took many photos this way

Even of some I have never seen

Some which I never hoped I would

Even in my dreams

Then today I saw yet another

That I have never seen before

Pointed it out to my mother and father

And saw it standing tall

Then as I took out my camera

It quickly flew away

I followed it and tried harder

But still it wouldn't stay!

Then at last

I supposed I must have blinked

It was gone

Like a leaf in the wind!

I had not a clue

Where it went

I searched but could not find it

And I couldn't understand

Where on earth did it go?

The one that got away?

Really, where did it go?

And how did it get away?

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Count Your Blessings

By May Kwek

Count the stars in the sky

The specks of joy in the night

Count the birds that freely fly

Bringing grace with their flight

Your friends and family

Remember to count them too

For the times you have had together

How they always stood by you

Blessings aren’t hard to find

Look hard and you will see

How they hide in simple things

But when found will sing

Count your blessings then

Count them and be wise

Remember them at sunset

And start counting at sunrise

Sunday, February 23, 2014

The forever wait

By May Kwek

It has been a good three months

Since the A levels left me

Yet sometimes I remember and wonder

About this memory

Time has faded its clarity

I am not longer as sure

Of exactly what I did

Though that I worked hard is clear

And now as February draws to a close

And the results come ever nearer

What I got seems to loom over me

Like a questions that lingers

Most times I forget about it

And have fun and rest

Then when I am not watching it catches me

With “did you do your best?”

Of course I did!

That I surely know

I had never worked so hard

Didn’t think it was possible to do so

Yet I can’t help but plan

My road if I did badly

If I didn’t get what I wanted

What degree would be handy?

Oh I wish I would know already

This wait is too long

Better to accept my results reality

And have the question gone!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The voices of the wind

By May Kwek

Quiet now, keep still

And gently close your eyes

Tilt your head slightly upwards

Towards the glorious sky

Can you hear the wind blowing?

Just beside your ear?

Listen, can hearing it speaking?

About things far and near?

Taste the cold wind swept air

And hear the wind rush like the sea

Then you know as the wind has told

That a storm will come eventually

Or perhaps a whispering rush

That hurries through the trees

Calling you, yes, calling you

“Quickly! Come and see!”

Or maybe the breeze that blows

Everlasting by the sea

Telling tales of war and strength

And the peaceful and free

Or maybe the best voice of all

That the wind whispers in your ear

“Calm and peace be with you”

You know the Lord is near

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The grace of birds

By May Kwek

If I wished to see flying grace

I need not look to a further place

Than at the bright coral blue sky

And the birds as they fly

As they dive, swoop and glide

Riding on the wind’s delight

As they hover, flap or call out their song

All through the day and the night long

Take the eagle soaring in the air

Circling the earth with deliberate care

With sharp eyes finding his prey

And diving down for his meal of the day

Or perhaps let’s take a swallow

Darting through the trees

Like an inky black crescent moon

Flying across skies we can’t see

Or maybe even a sparrow

Rounded with too much food

Comically falling before flying

Like a silly fool would

Yet they all fly in the sky

With a grace to which we can’t compare

So if I wanted to see gracefulness I would watch the skies

For I know I would find it there

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Return to GBB for the Chinese New Year

By May Kwek

We went to Gardens by the Bay again

Since Chinese New Year had come around

We found horses everywhere

That made not a sound

They were made of wood

And galloped across imaginary plains

Silent, purposeful but still

Even if you laid to them a cane

Then there was the flower dome

Alas where was its former glory?

Instead of flowers was a sea of green

Repentance for their Christmas folly

But the new playground is fun

With water hoses and all

But I am much too old

For the games that I saw

So you could certainly say

My excitement has dimmed a bit

Especially when the flower dome

Has more green than flowers in it!

But they still made me laugh

Because don’t you see?

Judging from the ears

Some of the horses were donkeys

Friday, January 17, 2014

The ‘A’ levels and after

By May Kwek

It’s over at last!

Pure relief

Ok I am two months late

But the last year you won’t believe

Studying everyday

Morning noon and night

Taking breaks only

To eat and sleep at night

And yet during those breaks

There was a dog barking in my ear

‘A’ levels! ‘A’ levels!

Like a shadow ever near

I couldn’t feel happy

When the last exam ended

Just relief that it was all over

Exactly as intended

Yet I still dream at night

That the ordeal isn’t over

That I missed an exam

But it ended in November!

Or that worse

I got my results back

And instead of As like I hoped

Are Cs edged in black!

Or even better

They start out as As

Then change to Bs and Cs before my eyes

That would be an awful day

So yes the ‘A’ levels are over

But I guess they haven’t completely left my mind

Fingers crossed I would dream no more

Till I know my results are fine!

Pages

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Friday, May 9, 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Friday, January 17, 2014