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Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve

By May Kwek

New Year’s Eve is at last here
The final day of the old year
A perfect time to reflect and to remember
The events that occurred across the earth

A time to pay our respects
To those who left this life
A time to remember
The hollowness of strife

A time to rejoice
At the blessing that we had
A time to remember
The tears that we have wept

When the experiences we’ve had
Over the long year
Dance across our mind
In a merry cheer

When we smile and we say
“Maybe I should have done it another way.”
When we laugh and we cry
“Oh yes I did that right!”

So welcome 2012
The time for reflection is done
And with good faith and open arms
We say the words, “It’s begun”

Happy New Year Everyone!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Friday, December 30, 2011

My New Year wishes for you

My New Year wishes for you

By May Kwek

With the dawning of a new year
And the setting of the old
Many wishes I wish you
To keep and to hold

I wish you many days of sunshine
And not many days of rain
In hope that when it comes
Your faith it will not maim 

I wish that the past will not trouble you
And that it stays where it belongs
In the past long and gone
Or in your memories fond

I wish that you may see the little things
Scattered here and there
That you might find contented peace
Whatever load you bear

And last of all I wish you
A light and happy heart
Able to enjoy the many gifts
That the New Year is bringing us!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Butterflies



Butterflies

By May Kwek

Colours as bright as dawn’s glow
Moving lightly with the wind’s flow
Gracefully gliding, flying high
Over the trees and into the sky

As quiet as the deafening night
Never showing a morsel of pride
Although it’s nature’s canvas on painted wings
Whose beauty rivals those of kings!

So small and yet indispensable
In the circle of life
For the flowers need them
To carry their pollen with flight

And perhaps you will see one today
Or maybe two or three
With its ballerina dance
It simply can’t be missed!

So watch it as it gently flies
Colours as bright as the morning sky!
Watch it as it quietly glides
Nature’s radiance ever so bright

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Old Father Time sells a watch

Old Father Time sells a watch

By May Kwek

Old Father Time once had a shop
And it sold everything that could be got
Riches! Gold! And everything nice!
And yes he would even sell mice!

So one day in came a man
Whose life seemed to have gotten out of hand
His face was so sad and so worn
And his clothes were all torn

“My good man,” said Father Time
“What would you really like?”
“I want a lot,” the man replied,
“Riches, happiness and long life.”

Father Time thought for a long time
As though he was trying to make up a rhyme
At last he said, “Come with me!
I have something you should see!’

Then he produced an old battered watch
Its rims were silver but quite worn
On its face written in a rhyme
Were the words written by time

“I can bring you silver and gold,
Happiness and plenty all at one go!
But beware how you seek
For I will not favour the weak”

The man bought the watch
And brought it home
He waited and waited
For the things it told

Years passed and nothing changed
He had waited and waited in vain
One day at a thousand and two
He wanted to return the watch he took

He called his descendant and went to the shop
And there stood Father Time as before
“I want to return this,” the man said,
“It broke the promise that it made.”

 “The watch served you true and true
As you see you are a thousand and two
The watch bought you time but you were not wise
And hence you did not use it right

Time can give you silver and gold
But it would not get them for you
You had a chance but you didn’t try
To get what you wanted with your might”

So Father Time ended his speech
While the man stared at his feet
Then passed the watch to his descendant
Warning him to use it different

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek


Monday, December 26, 2011

New Year Musings


New Year Musings

By May Kwek

Beginning of beginning
End of end
The passage of time
At the turn of a hand

The first of the first
The last of the last
The New Year has started
The old one has past

New resolutions are made
How many will turn cold?
What events of the year
Will make us feel old?

What adventures await
At the turn of the year?
Are they far?
Or are they near?

What will happen
In the year ahead?
I guess I have to watch
And simply wait

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Sunday, December 25, 2011

The First Christmas Day and Night

The first Christmas day and night

By May Kwek

Many years ago on this night
Over Bethlehem a star shone bright
And God came to earth as man
To save us from death’s eternal hand

Many years ago on this day
Three men who had travelled a long way
Came with gifts for the king
And that night did angels sing

When the choir from heaven sang
Shepherds left their flocks with thanks
To see the saviour for themselves
And realise heaven’s intangible wealth

So many years ago on this day and night
The earth received a bright new light
And the hope of salvation was born that day
As the baby who in the manger lay

Happy Birthday Immanuel
God with us

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Do you remember?

Do you remember?

By May Kwek 

Do you remember your first present?
The brightly coloured wrapping and dreams?
Do you remember the tree and the lights?
And your mother serving ice-cream?

Do you remember
 The first time you heard Christ’s story?
Do you remember
How you felt about his glory?

Do you remember
The games that you played?
Do you remember
The fond memories of Christmas day?

And now the time for remembrance
Has come again
And I only want to ask this
Do you remember Christmas my friend?  

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Christmas Time

Christmas time

By May Kwek

A time to remember the gifts of the year
Of the sunlit presents in our earthly sphere
A time to remember what we’ve received
The gentle smiles like angel wings

A time to spend with those we hold dear
With friends and family all in good cheer
A time to laugh over things of the past
And ensure our bonds will always last

A time to celebrate our saviour’s birth
And remember why he came to earth
A time to keep him in our hearts
And forgive others for their deeds in the past

A time to rejoice and to celebrate
The giving and receiving we’ve had of late
And to spread around the Christmas cheer
Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Books


Books

By May Kwek

There are books on my table
And books on the shelves
There books in the cardboard
And everywhere else

My family read all the time
Especially me
I have a friendship with books
They are my companions you see

They are time machines
That travel through the ages
A ship through which I can travel
And learn without wages

They are an open door
To a brand new world
So though the journeys can be sore
I would forsake it for the world

The words become pictures
And dance in my brain
The stories read quickly
Like a torrential rain

And I can fly away
To the mountains high
And like a bird
 I can touch the sky 

Books bring me to the oceans
They bring to space
And then they return to earth
To where a poor man once laid

They teach me to feel
What others might have felt
For books have a certain magic
To bring me there as well

And so I say 
Books are my friends
For when I am lonely
These adventures they send

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Sweet Dreams

Sweet dreams

By May Kwek

Sweet dreams, sweet dreams
Dancing in the night
Lost in a sleepy melody
Whose tune is ever so light

Where did you come from?
And wither shall you go?
But these melodies I can touch not
They are like mist and snow

I hear them floating around
As I sleep on my bed
And instantly images
Arise in my head

And I have a dream
Which I know to be sweet
But when I awake
I can’t remember a thing

So where did the hours go?
 And how did the story end?
Shall it continue tomorrow?
And did I see my friend?

Ah the dreams that spin a tale
That is filled with the memories of the past
Which I indulge in till the sun sails
And my recollections cease to last

Sweet dreams everyone

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Monday, December 19, 2011

A letter to a friend with a cold

Oh no! You have a cold!

By May Kwek

My dear friend I hear that you’re ill
And I really hope this letter will
Cheer you up in some way
As you go about your day today

I have here a sure formula
That will get you well
First you take a length of time
And stir it till it swells

Then add hours of sleep
Just a sprinkling or two
Oh and add laughter
We must add that too!

Then mix in a good rest
And let the mixture rest
Remember this is important
Or the whole thing will be a mess

And after the resting
 Take the mixture in large doses
Plus be careful not to spill
 A drop on your brand new trousers

Ok that should be everything
Call me when you’re well
Then we can meet someday
Perhaps by Fountain well?

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Birthday poem for my friend, Anabel, sixteen birthday


Happy Birthday Anabel!


By May Kwek


After waiting half a year
At last the time now comes near
Sixteen, sixteen, sixteen at last!
Don’t the years pass so fast?

You were born with the summer bloom
Where there was no time for quiet gloom
Little wonder what you are
That smiling person even at a far!

I wish you many hopes my friend
And that life will lend you a hand
Now that childhood has started to fade
Your friends shall always be there to aid

Stand fast in weal and woe
For those will come that is true
But weather it well I am sure you would
And still smiling like only you could

Let your years be your wings
And after your dreams let them sing
Hold on to what is true
And achieve them I am sure you would

What is left for me to say?
So many things I have wished your way
Friends, hopes, wishes and dreams
What else is there for you to win?

But there is one last wish
The most important of all
And with all my heart I wish you

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANABEL!


Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Heaven's battle and band

Heaven’s battle and band

By May Kwek

Rain, thunder, showers shine
Silver arrows fall from the sky
But no man can call them “mine”
For them come from heaven high

Gently they fall like quiet whispers
Amid the battle of the heavens
While one flashes the other cries
Thunder and lightning rule the sky

All through this the rain will flow
To the river it must go
So they fall forever more
Till they reach the ocean’s core

But while on the ground they form little men
Each one lasting only a second
But their voices they gladly lend
To the rain’s noisy band

So this continues night and day
For this is the December’s way
When the heavens want battle and song
And the rains play along

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Friday, December 16, 2011

A cry for the Tiger




A cry for the Tiger

By May Kwek

Black flames on an orange coat
The ruler of the forest from times old
Swiftly you glide through your domain
Hiding behind the forest lanes

Sharp claws hid in your paws
In the jungle there’s only one law
Do what you must to survive
Whatever it is you must not die

Lightly you step in the forest deep
You’re hungry and must eat
You see a goat, yes that would do
And slowly forward you must move

Up and swiftly you quickly pounce
At the same times a gun sounds
And you drop down dead and gone
The life in you has swiftly gone

A man above your body stops
Soon your hide would be in a shop
For to man there’s only one law
That they are the ruler of them all!

And soon you’ll lie dead and rotten
But in the forest you’re never forgotten
For the forest always remembers its very own
And there the spirit of the tiger will always roam

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Waiting to receive our 'O’levels results

Waiting to receive our 'O’levels results

By May Kwek 

Now the time has come
And we’re seated in the hall
Waiting for our results
Oh that dreadful call!

I am fidgeting, I am nervous
I know not what to think
All the blissful holidays
Have passed by in a wink

And now we shall see
If our two years of labour
Have in fact
Produced fruits with any flavour

I know what I want
But I know not what I’ll get
And I simply cannot stand
This agonising suspense!

I want to know what I got
But in my fear I also do not
I can’t control my feelings
And feel as though I’m shaking

It’s fine for me to know
And it’s also fine not to know
But it’s this wait before knowing
Which I find so frightening!

So if you’re in charge of this
Please have some pity
And put a swift end
To my fearful misery!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Christmas shopping

Christmas shopping

By May Kwek

To be honest I don’t like shopping
But at Christmas it’s a need
It’s lucky it doesn’t stem from greed
Or I would have squashed it like a weed

At this time however reluctant
I venture into the malls
Staying away from the large stacks
Fearing they might fall

I then enter the shops
Taking nervous little stops
Looking at this and at that
 And wondering if anyone needs a hat

I wonder what each person would want
Then try to hunt it down
And if I am lucky
I’ll find something else as well

I squeeze through the crowds
Which often talk too loud
And avoid the sales ladies
Who have too much to tell

All in the quest
To find the perfect present
With “what would they like”
As the deciding question

Then after the long queues
And the agonising waits
I’ll usually have a few
Presents on my plate

And now I can find a seat
And admire the Christmas lights
Then in amazement
Find that it’s already night

And I’ll rush home quickly
To beginning with the wrapping
At the same time remembering
How I hate Christmas shopping

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Homework

Homework

By May Kwek

Homework homework
A daily menace
The sad result
Of all my lessons

They sit in a pile
Waiting to be done
At the same time depriving me
Of all my fun

Without voices they scream
Demanding to be completed
Without arms they grab me
In a conscience prison

Procrastination tempts me
While duty reminds me
Of my teacher’s warning
Just that very morning

So eventually a side prevails
And the homework must be done
Otherwise I shall be unprotected
From my teacher’s wordy lunge

But that was when I was younger
And afraid of my teacher’s wrath
Now the fact that I still do well
Must tear them in halves!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Boredom

Boredom

By May Kwek

Boredom comes quietly
No trumpet does it blow
And yet its continuous victory
Is always widely known

Before the battles even begins
Your war is already lost
As boredom comes and deprives you
Of what will you’ve got

Your spirits sink so low
That you have no energy to go
And your eyes droop in submission
To this efficient menace

It is like a lazy spirit
That swoops in and becomes your master
And though you want to rid it
No strength can you muster

You feel like a clock
Hanging tired on the wall
Waiting ever so patiently
For the final call

You find yourself staring
Blankly into space
With boredom in your bones
You’re a hopeless case

Boredom is a sickness
Which inflicts us all
Against which even the mightiest
Will eventually fall

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A letter to Santa from a spoiled kid

A letter to Santa from a spoiled kid

By May Kwek

Dear Santa how do you do?
I promise I’ve been good
Here’s my Christmas wish list
I hope you will be in a giving mood

There’s a lot I want for Christmas
And you better get them right!
I want a helicopter and a bike
With a bright head light

I want chocolates and goodies
And sweets and cakes galore
You will need your big sack
Cause I want them all!

I want the tree to have many
Very many presents
In fact there should be more
Than I got last Christmas!

I want a large stack of notes
To buy many things
And a maid to pick up my books
And socks and other things

I want Daddy to earn more money
And Mummy to buy less
I want a new TV
And a computer only the best!

I want more video games
And that no one gives me books
Oh and a birch rod on my teacher
When she gives me dirty looks

Have you got that all Santa?
This letter you have to mind
Or I will have Daddy
Give you a piece of his mind!

Yours Sincerely,
The spoiled kid

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Physics

Physics

By May Kwek

Physics is a magician
Of my imagination
A box of many presents
Some which I can’t open at present

Sometimes it’s like fireworks
That dance to your hearts delight
Sometimes it’s like a gentle stream
Slowly turning darkness into light

At times I am tempted
To call it an imp
Who delights in torturing me
With its many whims

What was complex is simple
What looks right is wrong
Mathematics is a tool
But even that can be wrong

Yet at other times it’s delightful
As it opens up your mind
To what could be the treasures
In this universal mine

It has thoughts so deep
That they are deeper than the sea
When your mind can’t grasp
What you seem to see

So that’s why I call physics a present
One that that never ends
Because until you know everything
There’s still some treasure left 

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Let Your Attitude help

Let Your Attitude Help

By May Kwek

Life's not fair
that is true
But does it really help 
Saying that it is so?

Life is full of troubles
covered in ups and downs
life would never listen
to your moans and groans

So what do you do
When the road ahead seem far?
When the work seems to hard 
and you simply want to stop?

First you take a breather 
then look at the facts
you have to do it anyway
so why don't you relax?

Instead of moaning 
start with a willing mind
You'll find that the work is easier
and that time just seems to fly!

I know that it may seem difficult
and that the road is tough
But since you have to do it
why not let your attitude give some help?

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Sunday, December 11, 2011

My Kindle

My Kindle

By May Kwek

My Kindle is a strange little thing
A present without the messy strings
A bookshelf that takes up little space
With which I can read and simply laze

It's black and small
And yet has all
The books which I might want to read
Even some that put me to sleep!

But at night it's hard for me to read
For sadly no light it would emit
So I attach a little light
And then my Sis can't sleep at night

But then it is a small trouble
Without its glare I won't see double
So even if I can't read at night
It reads like a book in the light!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Fire

Fire

Fire! Fire!
Kipling’s red flower!
The immaterial dancer
Who the wild can’t master

Fire the owner
Of a strange desire
To hold the flames of fire
In the midst of danger

Fire that pales
In a splash of water
And yet reignites
At the smallest amber

Fire a friend
To those who tame it
But a deadly enemy
To those who can’t use it

Fire the master
And Fire the slave
The wild encased
In an immaterial flame!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Day Dreaming

Day Dreaming

By May Kwek

As the day passes slowly
The boredom overcomes me
And I find myself lapsing
Into blissful daydreaming

I wonder what it would be like
To soar above the clouds
To fly above the cities
Away from the noises so loud

Or maybe I could be a sailor
And sail the ocean blue
And watch the dancing waves
As I play my lute

Or perhaps I would be a hero
One with powers great
Conquering mountains and cities
While the wind flutters my cape

So lost am I in dreaming
That the world ceases to exist
It blurs out and fades
Into a dreamy mist

But then a voice recalls me
To life’s true monotony
And I find that if my daydreams rule me
They shall be the death of me!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek
  


Oh December!

Oh December!

By May Kwek

Oh December!
Where it ever rains
Where the air is cool
And the moon wanes

Oh December!
The old man of the year
Age withered
On the shaggy beard

Oh December!
When sorrow and grief
Joy and happiness
Mingle as they please

Oh December!
The time is past
The month so long
And yet didn’t last

Oh December!
The end of the year
Always so far
And yet so near!

Oh December! 

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Friday, December 9, 2011

A Christmas Poem

A Christmas poem

By May Kwek

Here Christmas has no snow
No bells to ring or bitter cold
There’re not many presents and the tree is sparse
But there is Christmas in our hearts

Here we appreciate
That Santa cannot ride his sled
The trees are high and I’m afraid
That he would crash his sled instead

But it is fine and all is well
Christmas time is simply swell
For it is the joy with which we celebrate
That makes the season really great!

It is the joy that makes it Christmas
Not Santa Claus and trees
It is the hope that makes it Christmas
Not the carols that we sing

For it’s on Christmas that we celebrate
The miracle of the light
Of the birth of our saviour
That first Christmas night

So the snow doesn’t matter
And neither does the cold
For it’s the Christmas in our hearts
That makes the season glow

Merry Christmas Everyone

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Thursday, December 8, 2011

In the forest



In the forest

By May Kwek

In the forest
I gently step
My eyes in wonder
of the life there

The gentle sun 
shines on the floor
growing little
glowing orbs

The quiet wind
dances through the trees
filling the air
with the rustlings of leaves

Behind the mighty giants
I catch a shadow of a deer
or perhaps it was a creature
from the tails we hold dear

The air is restful
full of contended peace
a place where men
may quietly sleep

Yet life is there
in the smallest of leaves
As long as the sun shines
nature may do as it please

In the forest
life's in the air
and if there is beauty
I am sure it is there

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Nothing is too small

Nothing is too small

By May Kwek

There is nothing that is too small 
to matter in this world
Just take a look around you
and count the little things

And you'll be surprised
by how many you'll see
but if you didn't spot them
then let me do that

A little drop of water
in the desert sand
May well revive a man's life
at its very end

A tiny little seed
when given time to grow
May well become a giant
taller than me or you

A single word of kindness
spoken everyday 
may give hope to others 
who have lost their way

So don't ignore the little things
they are more than what they seem
the best part is they are so small
that you can give them free for all!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Sunday, December 4, 2011

A lone man walks by the sea

A lone Man walks by the sea

By May Kwek

A lone man walks by the sea
while a poet writes about the things he didn't see
about the waves roaring as they splash on the shore
about the watery mist at the sunset's core
She writes of the towering mountains in a misty dream
and the white sea foam that looks like cream
In the background the glowing sun sets
amid a symphony of green, orange and red
And so by the sea this lone man walks
lost in dreams, lost in thoughts

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

The King of the Jungle Am I

The King of the Jungle Am I 

By May Kwek

The peacock strides in the forest heat
holding his head high above the weeds
He fans out his tail and with a loud shout cries
"King of the forest am I!"

A tiger pounces in the forest deep
but misses the peacock with his leap
He lands on a trap and it is sprung
and into a hole he has sunk

The peacock looks into the hole
and there's the tiger! Lo and behold!
With pride he fans out his tail and cries
"King of the Jungle am I!"

A snake in the waters deep
sees a peacock that's good to eat
He strikes out but alas! Sigh.
A falling fruit hits him from behind

The peacock looks at the unconscious snake
and takes a drink from the lake
Then he fans out his tail and with pride cries
"King of the forest am I!"

A man sees a peacock bright
and wants it with all his might
He steps forward but trips on a stone
and the fall leaves him cold

Now the peacock feels very fine
he opens his tail and sees it shine
"No one can hurt me here!" he cries,
"For King of the Jungle am I!"

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek 

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Writing on a rainy night

Writing on a rainy night

By May Kwek

A quiet peace descends
On the gentle misty air
And outside the rain drones
Without a worldly care

It is here that I sit
Painting my dreams
In a world that doesn’t exist
But in the painting words bring

I dream of flowers and the sun
Dancing in the brightness of dawn
I dream of the moon and stars
In a world dark and long

I write of people
Of their cares and their joys
And I write their stories
 To give them a voice

I laugh with the children’s laughter
And cry with the widow’s tears
I feel when hearts are broken
And rejoice when they are healed

I can see the clouds dancing
And hear the rustling of leaves
But I also see the battles in war
And the hear the cries within

It is a supreme agitation
On such a peaceful night
To hear what you rather not
And see darkness instead of light

But then the peace returns
And the mists roll into the night
For in a writer’s world
Words are might

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek


Farewell my watch

Farewell my watch

By May Kwek

Alas my watch it's time to part
Five years together have warmed my heart
But sadly as you too well know
You have grown a tad too old

Time has passed and made you a fool
Your face wiped blank all too soon
No more use can you be to me
And so sadly your place you must leave

But though a new watch has taken your place
Fond memories are written on your face
So though our parting may be long
Be assured that the memories are not gone

So farewell my watch! Adieu!
In the past I now leave you!
For though for long you were my friend
Alas that is now at an end!

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

Dawn



Dawn 

By May Kwek

Bright tongues of fire
streak across the sky
colours red, orange and gold
dance in the crystal light

The sky is ablaze
with mystical cosmic light
as the sun welcomes the earth
back into the sunshine

A cool wind dances in the air
and plays with the morning mist
its breath is cool and sweet
like a breath of spring

The autumn in the sky
gradually disappears in sleep
it would appear again 
when the hours have slipped

But for now it goes
with a memory so sweet
as the earth welcomes us
back to the morning dream

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek

The Rose's Thorns



The Rose's Thorn

By May Kwek

If I could pick a flower
of which I could praise
I would pick a rose
but not for beauty I say

But for its stems
hard and strong
so far from a lily's
willowy form

And for its thorns
which are so hard to touch
red from many
careless grasp

Anyone can see beauty 
in the form of a rose
but often for its flower
and its sunshine glow

But not for its stems
and nor for its thorns
these we detest
with disdainful scorn 

How easily we forget
the importance of these!
And care only for its beauty 
the flower beyond reach

For the stems and the thorns
though treated with unfair scorn
protects this lovely flower
so that it lasts long

So don't praise the rose for beauty
for that does not last long
but for its strength through adversity
which would help it carry on

Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek