Poems for you: 2015

Monday, December 21, 2015

A fiery Christmas

By May Kwek

It’s been quite a Christmas

In our expensive Orchard road

Things have been catching fire

It’s a wonder business has not slowed

First it was the Christmas tree

Just sitting by the side of the road

Then in a flash of flame

Its ornaments it did unload

Then it was the décor

Hanging on a street light

First it shone with electric brilliance

And then with crimson light

Third was a poor restaurant

That was somehow set ablaze

Now how did that happen?

The sprinkler I can’t praise

And now do I hear a fourth?

Hidden in a carpark, a flaming pile of rubbish

Perhaps with the wall,

They couldn’t it distinguish

Oh please no more!

This is turning into a bad comedy

Once, twice, I forgive you

But four is insanity

They must have struck everywhere in Orchard road

These mysterious ‘arsonists’

Having hit sky and ground

What else could they have missed?

Ah I see it now

I will shop elsewhere instead

Because the only place not yet aflame

Is I fear, my head!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

A Christmas Hope

By May Kwek

Christmas time this year

Comes at the tail of a rather sad year

Many terrible things have happened

And too many of us have lost those we held dear

We have seen bloodshed and violence

Caused by acts of cowardice

We have felt the earth shake

And rocks crumble and break

Waters swelled, the air turned poison

Yet despite all, to carols we still listen

In one more leap of faith

Come this time we still celebrate

Yes we still celebrate

To honour those who could not

Celebrate to show triumph

That hope we’ve still got

For the hope that Christmas brings

Came two thousand years ago

And against such miraculous hope

Modern horrors have no hold

So we will light our streets

And we will deck our halls

We will come in spite of fear

When the church bell calls

And come Christmas Day

Despite the horrors that have come to past

We will grow that hope’s eternal flame

Against which fear’s darkness cannot last

In memory to all who have left us, and a blessed Christmas to those who remain

Immanuel, God is with us

Monday, August 31, 2015

Respite

By May Kwek

Spirit me away mind and soul

To a place of sunlight gold

For nothing bades me here to stay

For respite I must fly away

To a quiet glen

In the woods somewhere

Where the tall trees grow

And the air is fair

Where the sun shines like music

Down through gentle leaves

Which to a songless tune

Sways in the breeze

All around is quiet

Content is drunk to the soul

For here life seems steady

Serene and repose

The stream would ripple steadily

And time it would so measure

But here time is different

Each moment is a treasure

Each bird song, each maiden flight

The first of dawn, the last daylight

Is but a moment yet eternity

In this jewel of serenity

This is a place where the world

Would quietly fall away

And leave the recesses of the mind

Where it had often held sway

And the mind quietens

It knows where to go

And that is to the current present

And the moment that it holds

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Guardian of the night

By May Kwek

Guardian of the night

Quickly take your place tonight

Shine amongst the stars so bright

With your soft silvery light

Guide the lost in the darkness’s cold

Keep them in your comforting glow

Shine the path to their home

Or the path they chose to roam

Dance with the stars in the sky

Across the celestial plains, fly!

From there watch the sleeping souls below

And keep them safe, sound and whole

As the star studded sky you tread

Mark every tear that sheds

And show even though you seem alone

You are never ever really on your own

Oh Guardian of the night

Fail not your duty tonight!

To maintain hope in darkness as the earth turns

And the sun once more returns

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The False Divide

By May Kwek

A flat stood in a neighborhood

It’s features proud and tall

Compared to all the other houses

The rest seemed really small

The people in this flat

Were all well groomed

They spoke perfect English

And had books in every room

They dressed their children

In the best that money could buy

Everyone was polite

In between every Hi and Bye

I visited this flat and saw its people

Then took the lift down

And spent some time in the coffee shop

In the neighborhood on the ground

The people here spoke Chinese

And in many cases a dialect

They smoked, were terribly crude

Manners, sometimes they lacked

The children were just dressed

But no less happy

But their parents’ faces

Seemed aged by worry

For two places mere meters from each other

In essence they were miles away

Divided not by distance

But in every other way

The flat was all elegance and polish

The neighborhood below, crude

The flat was riches and finery

The neighborhood, poverty and fortitude

One may be inclined to look down

The other, perhaps to look up

After all, poverty and worries

Is a very bitter cup

Yet even when I think of those

Who live in the flat

Claiming they got there by work

And deserve where they are at

I can’t help but suspect

That if I extracted just the soul

Those in the flat and below

Would be exactly the same you know

Friday, May 29, 2015

The Broken Mirror

By May Kwek

I was walking somewhere far from home

Where you could see the impossible fly

And then something in the gutter

Seemed to catch my eye

A flash of light

I though I saw it there

But when I looked

I could find no source anywhere

Another flash of light

But this time I caught the cause

A broken mirror

Given up for lost

Its edges were jagged and sharp

But it was very bright

The sky in its eyes

Were filled with light

The birds flew merrily

When I gazed into its depths

And songs flowed out like water

When you turn on the tap

Yet it was broken

This poor mirror

And so never seen to be of any use

Forever in error

It was thrown out with the garbage

Left to slowly fade away

Never to ever see

The light and hope of day

But I liked what I saw

In its clear reflection

I brought it home

And polished it to perfection

I smoothed out the edges

Kept the jagged shape

Set it in a frame

But had to hold it there with tape

It hangs now in my home

Bright on the wall

And if I ever need hope or encouragement

I look there and see it all

Three teacups

By May Kwek

Three little teacups sitting in a row

The first is brown, the second is gold

The third is made of a silver bright

And it sparkles like the moon at night

But what is that compared to gold?

Gifted as it is with the Sun’s glow

But which teacup should I choose?

There’s only one which I may use

The brown teacup is made of homely earth

But admittedly of not much worth

The silver and gold cups sparkle and shine

I must say they look mighty fine

The tea will taste the same in all

So it makes nothing less or more

The design of each is exactly the same

All fit the purpose for which I came

It’s a hard choice I strangely find

Because of the wishes in my mind

Should I pick silver or gold?

But brown will do as well I know

In the end I take the brown cup home

The other two I left alone

Because I know if you did not

That tea in a metal cup is very hot!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Teasing rain

By May Kwek

I hear the wind calling
The skies look quite grey
The world is growing quieter
I think it’ll rain today

The bell chimes are ringing
The air has grown cool
The sky is darkening
And the afternoon too

Surely the rain must be coming
Surely it’s moments away
Soon I shall hear rain drops falling
Like drums beating away

But no, the day passes into night
And gone is the cool air
The skies went from grey to black
But not a drop was there!

Oh it was just teasing me
The dear old weather
Well, it will rain sometime
So I guess it doesn’t matter

Copyright © 2015 by May Kwek

Friday, May 15, 2015

The Mystery of the Night

By May Kwek

Ah well now it is strange indeed

The mysteries of the night

The light turns to darkness

And the darkness turns to light

There is no frenzy there is no buzz

Things are warm and cozy

And everywhere little children

Wait for a bedtime story

People retreat indoors

There is no need to be out

Stay out too long and others wonder

What mischief you are about

The night brings suspicisions

As much as it brings rest

The darkness ever blinds our eyes

Putting sight to the test

The air grows quieter

Things start to still

And in the sky the stars twinkle

As they forever will

It is a fog indeed the night

Through which I cannot see

Beyond the ending of a day

Another yet to be

Thursday, May 14, 2015

The Weather’s grudge

By May Kwek

Oh how I hate the weatherman

He is so proud

Thinking he can guess my ways

And saying them out loud

Monitoring my every move

Who does he think he is?

I would like some privacy

A real intrusion is this!

And he would predict

What it is I do

I am the weather

I make the rules!

Oh, so yes I hate him

It’s more than dislike

It is a grudge long and deep

I’ll keep him from being right!

If he says it’s sunny

Well, I’ll make it rain

And if he says it’ll be wet

Watch out! The heat’s quite a pain

And now he says because of El Nino

It will be warm and dry

Right, that’s what you think

Heavens? Time to cry!

The Weatherman’s reply

By May Kwek

I am sorry dear Weather

But whatever did I do?

To watch you is my job

I’m afraid that is true

I have to monitor your every move

Because we don’t understand

How can you be doing one thing

Then change with a wave a hand?

Why would you be warm and dry

Then sudden make it rain

I really don’t get you

I’ll make that quite plain

So couldn't you please

Go easy on me?

And do what I say you would

And don’t begrudge me?

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Discontent (Rich)

By May Kwek

Oh they say to be rich

Is indeed to have it all

Luxurious homes, a yacht or two

And money that piles up tall

But every where I tread

I must have bodyguards

In case some kidnappers

Seek to with my money part

Relations are strained

They want me to quickly die

So that during the funeral

They can take the money and pretend to cry

My children are spoiled

They have never known want

And because of this wealth

I can never say “can’t”

Then I hide in my business

It is something I can do

Or hide in wealth and splendor

I can do that too

And forget about my troubles

And all the arguments and strife

And for a moment

Say I have a happy life

Discontent (Poor)

By May Kwek

Oh to be poor is a hard life

I for one know it is true

You have never had to worry

About your next meal have you?

What will I do

About next month’s rent?

If I can’t make it....

Can I borrow someone’s tent?

I wish I could provide a better place

For my children to live

With as many toys and books

As I in my heart would give

Cough, cough, oh dear

I cannot afford to be sick

If I get a sick leave

I might lose my job quick

Then what would we do?

The boss has yet to pay me

Tomorrow I must spare a few cents

To go trouble him for money

But for now let me sleep

For it is late and there I can be

Lost in oblivion

And say I am happy

Discontent (middle class)

By May Kwek

So I am neither rich nor poor

I am somewhere in between

I should consider myself blessed

Or so it would seem

But to be in the middle

Is to be squeezed

And seek to go higher

Hoping for release

My boss works me hard

I work long into the night

Perhaps my children

Could recognize me by sight

My ends meet but I have not enough

For the things I want

I want this and I want that

Only the rich can have fun!

And my children run off with their friends

They drift ever further away

Perhaps if I had more time

They would come back someday

Oh if only I could live a bit more

Have a bit of life

Far from this tedious work

And this internal strife

But never mind

A dream is all it shall be

Let’s go to the movies

And pretend we are happy

Summary of discontent

By May Kwek

Well dear readers

Its strange don’t you think?

That despite all their differences

The same tune they sing

Personally I would have thought

That the differences in wealth

Might have mattered as much to them

As the state of their health

But ah it seems we are all caught

In the winter of our discontent

What can I say?

We see things as men

The grass is greener on the other side

So the old saying says

But let’s all cheer up

We still have today

Whether we are near

Or whether we are far

See things as we hope

Or see things as they are

Perhaps for a moment in our minds

Examine our troubles and perhaps find

That they are so small after all

And reasons to be happy are much more

At least I find that is the case for me

When behind pessimism’s curtain I occasionally see

And finally look around and say

“What a fool I am let’s be happy today”

The Haunted Table

By May Kwek

It was a liveliest of gatherings that night

Everyone bore a fake smile

And we all laughed ever so cheerfully

And rolled our eyes all the while

But there was always a certain coldness

And the slightest hint of mistrust

Some when they saw each other

Turned either pale or blushed

Still we carried on and faked blindness

Were good friends for the world to see

In all appearances

A group of friends happy

But the chill seemed to grow ever stronger

And faint whispers of doom

Sent shivers down our spines and raised the hairs of our neck

As they danced about the room

Horrid memories seemed to arise

When we saw someone’s face

So we turned away and made believe

That we were in a different place

But when we were entered the dinning room

We could not run but only stare

For the cold formed ice on the table

And there was a ghost on each chair

Pages

Monday, December 21, 2015

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Friday, May 29, 2015

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Friday, May 15, 2015

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Sunday, January 25, 2015