Think outside the box, Color outside the line

Birds

2011-10-07T21:21:00.003+08:00

Dedicated to 4M 2011, for all the memories.

We were once all birds,
flying in the sky.
By chance we perched
on the same tree.
Looking for foods on the branch
Life went on.

Another chance bestowed upon us,
we converged on the same branch.
Sharing the foods,
chirping together,
always an air of excitement.
Listening to the whisper of the wind,
united in our aims.

Today,
unvoiced thoughts in our head.
Will we have another meal together?
Will we be able to hear the rustle of the forest again?
Will our memories
be carved deep in the tree
we once perched upon
never to be forgotten?

We know they will
as we glance down on the branches
one last time.
Shifting our eyes upwards.
The sky.
Soar. Flight. Farewell.

May you be able to perch on a cloud in the future.
May we one day follow the drift of the wind
And find ourselves together on a tree again.

Memories

2011-06-01T21:43:00.002+08:00

Memories
they flow
from a source
uphill
down the plains.

Memories
they float
they swim
they drift.
Created by threads
woven together by
us.

Memories
they flow
from the surroundings
into my head
trapped.
Never to get out
true and forever
they stay.

The tales of yesterday gone by

2010-11-11T17:36:00.000+08:00

In the distance of
Yesterday
Our land was bare,
Only banana trees thrived.
No fruits did they bear,
Miserable it was in life.
Yesterday
How fierce was the sea,
Swallowing everything in its waves,
Only the remains of coconut skins drifted
Onto our barren land.
Disappointment.

In the daylight of
Today I stand on the flourished land,
The land built by saving banana trees,
That now bear fruits.
Today I stand by the seaside,
Looking at the ship full of bananas,
Ready to leave
And return with oranges, apples, grapes…
Smiling.

From barren to lush,
Poor to rich.
We have succeeded.

Un-

2010-07-23T22:25:00.000+08:00

Sitting on the branch,
blown by the wind.
To the left
and to the right
I shake.

I cling onto the branch
so tight.
My hands bleed.
But not once
did anyone look up.

Me
unnoticed.
My cry
unheard.

The branch still swaying
the tree remains
rooted.
The wind still blows
unrelentlessly.
I remain up there
unseen
undetected
uncared.

Dance

2010-05-29T20:09:00.000+08:00

I am floating on my feet,
gravity defied.
Twirling across the room,
Flying, spinning, moving,
Beads of sweat flowing down.
I pour my heart out
until my sweat is sucked dry,
until my heart bleeds,
until I can feel my heart no more.
Because I belong to you
Dance.

Home

2010-04-23T19:37:00.000+08:00

If I were a blind man,
I would feel the things
and know that
I'm home.

If I were a deaf man,
I would sniff the air
and know that
I'm home.

Home
so unique it is.
where all your
secrets drift in the air
not to be washed away by time.
where you have
shreded tears on all objects
not to be cleansed by rain.

Home
it remains the same
yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Tribute to Sasha Cohen

2010-01-24T20:05:00.005+08:00

To Sasha Cohen, one of my all time favorite skaters, after 2010 US Nationals FS.

Once upon a time
you were a lovely fairy.
Gracing through the ice,
bringing wonder to the world.
When the time came
you bowed out
and vanished for some years.
Until a few months back
you announced your return.
I was hyped up.
The fairy who had inspired me
who had taught me
the true meaning of beauty.
Though a fairy,
this wasn't a fairy tale.
Your return wasn't as successfully
as you had wanted it to be.
But you bowed out with grace
just like how you came in
filled with grace.
A true fairy you are.
Dear fairy,
all has not ended.
Your courage to come back
after a long recession
is one to inspire many
for many years later.
You are always an inspiration
and for that
I salute you.
May the light from the tip of your wand
continue to shine
and brighted the world.
Thank you for your lovely presence.

One Last Time

2009-12-11T18:38:00.003+08:00

Dedicated to both my parents, for time had really gone by too fast.

In the distance
I hear you Mummy
cooing me to sleep
day after day.
I remember that feeling
when you tied my hair
everyday before school
so that I could look pretty.
I can see you Daddy
always in arm's reach
waiting for me to call out to you for help
so that I could complete my homework.
I smell the air
full of excitement
as we get into the car
for yet another family vacation.

In the daylight of today
I hear you asking
Can I tuck you in to sleep tonight?
Do you need me to tie your hair for you?
Can I have another hug from you?
Are we going to have another family vacation soon?
Hoping that I would answer yes
to all of your questions.
Unnoticed,
time had stealed past us.
You ask me another question
one last time.
Can we sit in the time machine together
and travel back to the past
to do all the things we once did
one last time?
I look into your eyes
sadness clouding in them
as we both know
that my answer will be yes
for the one last time.

Thank You

2009-11-19T14:20:00.004+08:00

Dedicated to 2009 3BR friends and teachers, and everyone who helped me along the road.

I found myself standing

in the darkness of the night

alone.

When came a glitter of light

illuminating my path

from you.

Never did the light

shimmer once

the wonder of nature.

Until morning came

and slowly

you faded away.

I couldn't see you

but all was bright around me

for I have found light

thanks to

you.

Same difference

2009-09-19T23:05:00.002+08:00

am a

tadpole

swimming amongst

frogs.

am a

blooming flower

surrounded by

green leaves.

am a

human

through and through.

A wilting tree

2009-07-24T20:25:00.002+08:00

Version 1

Tree wilting

Fallen leaves

Trunk.

Version 2

When a tree wilts

the leaves fall off

trunk stands

alone.

Night

2009-07-02T15:29:00.002+08:00

Sitting in the night

I feel the breeze.

From across the sea

to above my head,

reaching out to the stars

high up the sky.

In the midst of the wind

soft sings of crickets.

Up in the sky,

clouds shield the moon

leaving the world in darkness.

I get ready to leave,

to leave the magical night behind.

Another chapter to the fairy tale

closed.

Passed Out

2009-06-29T13:39:00.002+08:00

Version 1

My stomach feels squirmy,

Breathe it is difficult.

I look up to see the sky,

I look down to see the grass,

I look front to see the world spinning.

My head becomes heavy,

and cold creeps into my body.

Blackness clouds my eyes

and I could no longer see,

though I did not close my eyes.

Version 2

The sky is dark.

I hear the thunder grumbling,

I see the clouds drifting around,

I feel the chill wind cutting into my throat.

The clouds are getting denser

and sunlight no longer penetrates.

The sky turns dark.

Out of nowhere,

rain falls.

The sun reappears,

but somewhere it gets blocked.

The sky is clear,

but somewhere it is still clouded.

The air is crisp,

but somewhere it feels chilly.

In the aftermath,

I am still passing through black and white.

In the midst, doing nothing

2009-06-09T11:44:00.002+08:00

When the clock ticks,
time passes.
When the wind blows,
leaves fall.
When the sun sets,
the moon rises
and the stars twinkle.
In the midst
of phenomenal sequences,
what am I doing?

A prose

2009-05-01T16:38:00.002+08:00

I didn't purposely make it a prose. It just... happened to be one.

Every moment at school I'm studying or reading.
If I'm not listening to the teacher, then I'm doing my own work.
When there's no teacher, I'm studying.
When it's recess, I'm studying too.
And that's because I have nothing else to do.
I can't say I'm having fun at school.
It's making me feel very nerdy.
And it's boring.
I've finished studying, so I'm studying the same thing over and over again.
It's not the issue with studying. I have no problem with that.
But studying as an alternative to not getting bored?
It's making me feel like a robot.
I went skating on Monday.
It was like the best time of my life in sooooo long.
But after that, it was awful again.
It's not so much that I don't like studying.
I just have nothing to do.

Exhilaration

2009-04-20T19:32:00.003+08:00

According to the law of physics,
when you spread your wings,
and feel the wind pushing you up.
You soar into the air,
flapping your wings,
gradually coming to a glide.
You need not exert force,
yet you're still able to look down,
into the valley below.
It is exhilarating.

But life doesn't follow rules and laws.
That's the only drawback,
for the otherwise exhilarating
Life.

Lost

2009-02-24T17:10:00.002+08:00

A plane crash,
a deserted island,
a mysterious place,
survivors.
That's what the tv show
Lost is about.

Welcome

2009-02-14T15:10:00.006+08:00

Dedicated to every person whom I care for in my life.

I stand before the front door,
with my arms opened,
waiting to embrace you.

I stand in front of the window,
looking out of the house,
waiting to hear a doorbell ring.

I stand outside of my house,
watching carefully,
waiting to see a familiar car.

But I never embraced anyone.
I never heard any doorbell ringing.
I never saw any familiar cars.

I know then that it was futile,
and you would never come.
I just want you to know,
that the door to my heart
is always open.
And you're welcome,
to cross the threshold whenever you want.

I love you.

15

2009-01-18T20:19:00.002+08:00

15 first entered my head,

when I was in kindergarten.

F-i-f-t-e-e-n

I had learned to spell it.

I progressed to a different stage,

where I learned that

Six plus nine equals fifteen,

seven plus eight equals fifteen.

In primary school,

I learned that

three times five equals fifteen.

The combination of a sparkling one,

and the curvy five,

is sure better than

one and a four,

both which consist of straight lines.

My new year resolution

2009-01-01T19:26:00.001+08:00

Chase my dreams.

Hope

2008-12-17T21:04:00.001+08:00

Dedicated to Ms Takahashi

Hope the setting sun shines as bright
as the smile you always give me.
Hope the moon wanes as slowly
as the time we spend together.

Hope the stars twinkle as shining
as your eyes will always be.
Hope the night breeze whispers
words we exchange with each other.

Hope this magical night of brilliance
never fades in your life.
And hope that one day,
you shine brighter than the brightest star,
in the dark of my life.

Smile even when it hurts,
Shine even when it's dark,
Soar even when the sky's high,
Because it's hope that gives you wings to fly.

Hope will always come.

Farewell

2008-11-06T16:44:00.002+08:00

Dedicated to 2008 2 Zhong classmates and teachers, 2006 6K (though it's a little late) and everyone who has stuck with me until the end.

Across the horizon the sun is setting.
Sun beam turns from bright to dim,
the sea turns from rough to calm,
as though giving our feeling of uncertainty,
a chance to bring themselves out.

From far the trees are rustling,
playing the song we once sang together,
whispering words we used to encourage each other.
Will we stay in each other's arms and dance forever?

In the night breeze our memories are drifting.
A collection of unspoken promises,
and a love we'll never forget,
sink slowly into our hearts.

Hand in hand we have walked the whole journey,
till the crossroad where we have to part.
The stars and moon are appearing,
it is a magical night filled with brilliance.
I walk into the shadows and lapse into darkness.

Farewell.
May your life blossom when the sun comes out again.

Crossroad

2008-10-15T20:05:00.000+08:00

I stand facing the crossroad,
unsure if I should leave you behind,
or follow behind you.

going to newfoundland,
has always been what I wanted.
Now I stand facing the crossroad,
unsure if that's true.

Doubts start flooding my mind.
I don't know if I should do this,
to you who has supported me all along.
I don't know how much it'd hurt you,
I don't know how much lost you have to feel,
I don't know if I'd ever see you again.

All I know is
no matter how much I benefit from my choice,
it'd never make up for how much you grieved over it.

Lights Out

2008-10-06T14:40:00.003+08:00

I feel that my enthusiasm, spirit and well everything towards academics have diminished. No, they haven't disappear completely, which is a good thing I suppose. I wonder, if I stay in secondary school till 18, what will happen to myself? I don't want what is predicted to happen to happen, yet I can't bring it on myself to prevent it from happening.

Compared to last year, it is very apparent that I'm quite withdrawn in many class affairs. Last year, I could memorize everyone's class number in like a day or two, but not this year. Why? I simply am not interested in doing so. I'm not taking the initiative to do anything, I hardly ever volunteer to help do anything in class. I feel rotten though, yet I don't do anything to change it. Irony huh? Perhaps not, if you've heard the whole story about my life from the beginning of this year.

Another very apparent one. I was always interested in math competitions, all sorts of competitions. Now, I've quit my math team. Why? I don't have the enthusiasm nor the mood to join any competitions anymore. I don't feel the sense of accomplishment in winning anymore. So why waste my energy still doing all these? I just quit. Period. Even though I told my teacher it's because of timing. Well that's partly true.

Anyway where has all my energy and spirit gone to? Sports. Yup, you heard right. Since I don't need to work hard to achieve in academics, why not spend my excess energy from boredom in school in sports? I've like taken up so many sports that my schedule is crammed and sometimes I do get drained out. But it's rewarding to see myself improve from time to time with all the efforts I've put in, unlike academics where I don't have to put in much or any effort at all.

Flight

2008-09-30T19:17:00.001+08:00

I stand on the edge of the cliff,
overlooking the sky which stretches across.
I open my hands,
and soar up into the air.
I fly on and on,
until someone catches me.

My six-word memoirs

2008-09-11T19:05:00.000+08:00

Hope and faith come through tears.

Where is Justice

2008-08-04T15:56:00.001+08:00

Blood leaked out from the heart.
It has been slashed without reason.
And gone was the life of a beauty.
He never had a choice.
He was heading to a different world.
The transition wasn't a clean cut,
like a ribbon ripped off.
No matter how it was fixed,
it would never be the same.
All he could do was,
look back and be nostalgic.
A heart without blood,
and a ripped off ribbon.
Where is justice?

Fear

2008-06-22T18:19:00.000+08:00

It is winter,
the trees are bare,
the air is cold.
Walking outside naked,
the body will be frozen to death.
That is fear.
It gives you a chill,
and you get attacked
when you are naked.
It creeps unto you silently,
and eats up your soul slowly.

'Unvented' Frustration

2008-06-13T19:15:00.002+08:00

Okay, so the frustration inside me is building up and I think I'm just going to explode if I don't let it out a little now! Most of the source of frustration has got to do with my teachers. Not surprising at all. First it's my algebra teacher. I think I really hate her now. Hate is a strong word, but that's how strong my feeling is right now. From the beginning, I had been indifferent with her, but now, it's getting worse. She thinks my math is no good, no matter how much achievement I have gotten. Perfect marks in exams, prizes in math competitions, and being able to go for Mathematical Olympiad. Unfortunately, she still remains the opinion that I'm bad in math. I don't know where she got that from. If not for her having the power to choose people to go for math competitions, I wouldn't have cared. But she has, and because of her not recognizing my talent, I wasn't chosen. Really upset over that. And just yesterday she accused me of disrupting the lesson, when all I wanted to do was suggest a different way to solve the equation. I feel humiliated and not accepted.

Then, something related, I'm not allowed to express my opinions. Seriously, I think teachers are afraid that I would point out their mistake in front of everyone and embarrass them. But I'm not that low down, unless they really piss me off. But they haven't, not for the moment anyway, or I don't think so yet. It's only recently that I've started to open up, and people shut me down! Unfair really. Teachers ask who wants to give their input and I raised my hand and I'm told to sit down and keep quiet. On the bright side, maybe I'm just too smart for them. My train of thoughts has been running very quick lately and I need space to let it grow. Instead they're stuck in a confined space because I can't expand. Sooner or later, I might retreat and harm myself. Or explode, and harm myself too but in a different way. And I'm supposed to be gentle and all that, just because that's how a good student with good results is supposed to behave. Absurd, really. I think I'm becoming a misanthrope.

Happy Teacher's Day

2008-06-13T18:07:00.002+08:00

The poem I wrote for my teacher for teacher's day.

We came as seeds,
spread far apart.
By chance you came by,
and bonded us together.
Sunlight, water and soil,
you showered us the necessities,
required to grow.

Under your careful nurture,
we grew healthily.
Now that we are blossoming,
into beautiful flowers,
we never forget to thank you,
and are grateful for your care.

Happy teacher's day and many happy returns of the day!

Wants

2008-06-10T17:12:00.003+08:00

It was his birthday,
he was treated good food.
He got top in the class,
he was given an award.
Whatever he wanted,
he got it.
He should be satisfied,
but he wasn't.
He should be happy,
but he wasn't.
No one could fathom his thoughts.
No one could look beyond the veil.
What he really wanted
wasn't external materials,
but for people to listen to him.

Friends

2008-05-29T19:51:00.003+08:00

13 years have passed,
my life has passed with friends.
I thought I knew who my friends are,
just to discover that I didn't.
I thought I knew what friends are for,
just to discover that I didn't.
I thought I knew where my friends would always be,
just to discover that I didn't.

13 years of discovery,
it has hurt me loads.
Only thing I learned is,
friends cannot be discovered.
They just come to you,
like a miracle has happened.
Nothing to discover,
nothing to find.

13 years of waiting,
finally a miracle.
And when miracle happens,
the sparkle never dims.
The bond is what makes the sparkle
shine brighter.

Limit

2008-05-08T19:12:00.002+08:00

There is no limit,
to where the sea flows.
There is no limit,
to where the sky stretches.
There is no limit,
to when time stops.
A beautiful world,
God has created.
A beautiful destruction,
man has done to it.

Man has made limits,
of all sorts.
Numbers, age, words...
the list goes on and on.
Infinity,
it's a beautiful world,
man has created,
to make up for the destruction.
Why then,
must man be limited,
by the word limit?

Exams

2008-05-07T18:01:00.004+08:00

It's my mid-year exam and I'm sort of stressed. It seems like I have a lot of expectations to live up to. My teacher is expecting me to turn out top again but I don't think I can, with the numerous exams I missed and the days I was absent at school. Really, does nothing matter at all except scores? It's like I'm noticed because of my brain, or rather, I have friends because of my brain. I don't know, it might just be a feeling I have which is not true at all.

So let's see, our exams, we're expected to memorize many many facts. Not the main point of exam at all. Isn't exam supposed to test what we have learned? And do we learn to memorize things in school? Why can't there be open-ended questions or questions where we can apply what we've learned into our answers? If it's just for testing my memory, I don't have to do it, because my memory has been tested to be at the 99.9th percentile. It's unfair for the others as my memory is way above the ceiling. For those with bad memory, there's no hope that they can get good scores then. Pointless. And it's very boring too. We're always repeatedly tested on the same thing. And everyone who knows me knows that I hate repetitive work. Really really hate.

We have about 2 hours for a paper. I don't know what to do during that period of time. It's boring and it's so long too and the teacher said that if you do it with much earnestness, the time is just nice. I usually finish in 15-30mins, so what does that imply? That I just simply do it? I can't understand why so much time has to be allocated for us to answer our paper, neither do I understand why we can't leave once we finish. Of course, it might be a distraction but oh well, exceptions should be made. That's the system. Rigid, inflexible. Can't expect more from them!

I feel as if I'm rotting. I used to study at least 2 weeks before exam, but now I only start studying a day before exam! One thing, I still can manage, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much, but I feel really bad about it. And I don't want to burn out but I might, from boredom and routine and dull work.

Empty

2008-05-07T17:59:00.002+08:00

I open my eyes,
and see the world come into life.
I look up,
it is white,
without anything.
I look down,
it is black,
without anything.
I look around,
and find that there is nothing.
I am all alone,
in a hollow space,
with only two colors.
An empty space,
an empty background,
an empty world.
There is nothing in life.

A Floating Wood

2008-05-01T20:23:00.002+08:00

A wood could be seen,
floating on the sea.
But did that mean anything?

The tide came in,
and the wood drifted away.
But did that mean anything?

Day by day passed,
the wood was still floating.
But did that mean anything?

The wood had drifted,
far, far away,
from its original spot.
It had lost its way,
by following nature blindly,
and not fighting against it.

A floating wood in the sea,
did that mean anything at all?

Power of A Mistake

2008-04-28T19:04:00.002+08:00

He wasn't God,
he wasn't perfect.
He made a small mistake,
and it was magnified.
He could hear laughter,
and words of anger.
It made him feel inferior.

His heart was pricked,
and was bleeding
but no one could see.
Where is the magnifying glass?
He was vivid,
yet seemed wisplike.
His mistake was wisplike,
yet seemed vivid.
All he wanted to was
to make all these come true.

A Life Not Known

2008-04-27T19:02:00.001+08:00

He had many questions,
but no one cared.
He had emotions,
but no one saw.
He needed support,
but no one bothered.
A need for flexibility,
but it was ignored.
Everything was rigid,
nothing ever changed.
He was stranded in the universe,
he belonged no where,
not even this world.
He was hidden behind a veil,
no one could see beyond,
nor could he see through.
All he could see was
the world crushing down on him.

Dissatisfactions With School

2008-04-27T19:01:00.000+08:00

I attend a private school...and it is a big school. About 1000 people in my year. >_> And it's supposed to be a selective school, we have to go through tests to get admitted into the school. Still, I don't think the standard is any higher. Our curriculum is supposed to be more challenging than the public school ones, but it's still fairly easy to me. Not bragging. But it's really a boring curriculum, we have to memorize so many stuff just to be able to do well in exams. Meaningless really. And it's very repetitive. We're doing 2 curricula, 1 private school one and another public school one. It's really more or less the same, so it's like we're learning the same thing twice. And all our homework, it's mainly copying. Teachers give us the answer, we just have to copy the answers into our books. Don't have to think at all. Really, I hate it. So curriculum is boring...doesn't matter much, but extracurricular...it's even worse. We have about 51 extracurriculars, but each person is only allowed to join one! Ridiculous. I mean, why have so many choices then? Some clubs really only have 20+ members, it's pathetic. The facilities are bad too. Only 2 fans in each class, and each class has about 60 people. It's really suffocating in it. They haven't changed anything for 12 years, so I heard. Gahh and we have to pay for the school fees. No idea where all our school fees go to.

The way we have our classes...we stay in the classroom, teachers come to the classroom. So it's not a floating class. Not interesting at all. Very routine. Our timetables don't change every week. We have the same one again and again. Yeah, repetitive again. Classes are held in a lecture kind of way, students aren't expected to give inputs. There are too many people in the class anyway. Exams...that's the worst of all I think. It's like we're having exams everyday, I don't see the point of that. It's repetitive too, we have a test for this chapter this time, and the next time, we're tested on the same thing again. And we only get 25 minutes for break. Seriously, what can we do in 25 minutes? It's like really rushing, 2hrs of lessons, 25 minutes break. 2hrs lessons again, 25 minutes break. Then 2hrs 40 mins of lessons, school ends. It kinda lasts too long I think. It's from 7:30am - 3:10pm. We have 10 periods a day, 40mins for each periods. You won't believe how many subjects we're taking. More than 13!!! All subjects are mandatory. It's stupid. One word to describe my school. Simple enough.