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

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

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

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

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

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

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