Monday, September 13, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Commentary on Poem 3.
write a short commentary on Poem 3 reflecting on the following:
- a theme that you are exploring in the poem
- how you developed the theme in the poem
- the effect/s that you would like to achieve in the poem to impact your readers and how you went about doing it
- the extent to which you think you have been successful
i'm exploring the theme of children's negligence, where parents neglect their own children. 21st Century Parents are really giving very little care and love to their children now. They only want them to ace their studies, talents and all that that they think its important. But children-teenagers like us, we feel suffocated. There's no space for us to do whatever we want.
after reading Catherine Lim's Little Ironies - Adeline Ng Ai Choo, i began to think about the ideas where my parents have neglected me, and other people's experiences all in one. Hence, i had this inspiration to use these to write this poem. Using real life experiences will definitely be a much great of help to my poem. Because real live experiences are facts, they cannot be twisted.
i would like my readers to understand the situation of children who are being heavily restricted to do many things, just like me. Many children now needs to understand their peers' plight.
i went to elaborate on how other people's experiences and mine. i tried to change a bit to prevent from sounding so lengthy or boring.
to the extent that I've succeeded, i think i have brought out what i wanted to tell my readers about negligence of children.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Poem Three.
Composed individually based on a story of your choice from Catherine Lim's Little Ironies.


Parents' Negligence

Children's minds die away from studying.
they hated reading thick textbooks
cracking their skulls for answers to their questions
from their workbooks
Parents always wanted their children to study hard
get good grades, go to classes
ballet, piano, all forms of art
go to all sorts of tuitions
They never knew how much stress we have
studying means to hit the books till you get everything right
means to know what you ought to know
means books and more books
no fun, no jokes, nothing but studying
the books are always laughing at us every time we are stuck
they will never stop

why do Adults always have the final say of our lives
they don't know our pains
its like having dragons holding blades and knives
ready to slay us
exams are the real killers to our lives
they slay us with millions of questions
bombarded like a rifle gun which can't stop
when its over
parents come into the picture
they are rifle guns
bombarding us just like the exams papers
"how's the paper?" "is it hard?"
we children wished to say its really easy, don't worry
but it seems really difficult
results are here
some people can't take the pressure
hence ending their lives
many broke down, all thanks to exams
all the children wished to know
whether their parents care for their own prides
or their lives
every child would know
their parents would only care for their own pride
losing their pride would literally drive them to the wall
their parents are selfish
their parents wants their children's grades for their own glory
the children never ever did exams for themselves
they did it for their parents
We children would like to say
we wish, all parents would treat us better
not for their own pride
but for our sake
Poem Two.
Composed individually during the Poetry Slam Coaching Clinic.
Early in the morning
Woke my little girls for school
Felt a little fuzzy
Maybe i skipped my dinner again
Took my cap and slung my towel on my neck
wore my boots and swagged out of the door
tiny drops of sweat formed on my back
creating a huge transparent hole on my singlet
I got to the site
i'm already late
report to Sir "Sir, i'm here for work. "
Sir nodded his head and let me off lightly
got my drill bit and started working
The people here, are my only kins
The ones who share their bunk
The ones who share the same toilets
The ones who gets each other drunk
The ones who subbed for each other
The ones who share their workload
the ones who does everything together
Teamwork is all we have
WE cherish one another
no matter how much we have left
through thick and thin
united we stand, divided we fall
We might be invisible to your eyes
but guess what?
we are the ones giving you your comfortable homes
we have so much to bare
but with teamwork, nothing is impossible
If you haven't guess who i am,
here it is - I'm a construction worker.
Poem One.
Composed as a group during Poetry Slam Coaching Clinic.
I am a construction worker
My hands look like a crumpled piece of paper from , New Year's through December
Each brick i lay, blesses a new home.
Sometimes, the job becomes too much to bare
Who are they you may wonder,
They are the colleagues that,
Eat with me
Share the same toilet with me
Sleep in the same bunk as me
Work in the glorious sun with me
Report to the manager every morning with me
Talk about their adventurous childhood memories
Everyday getting tools to get the job done
Making sure that my drill bit is sharp
Provided with a never-ending load of wood
While assuming my efforts were understood
Then when the day has passed
Allow me to rest
They are the colleagues that,
Eat with me
Share the same toilet with me
Sleep in the same bunk as me
Work in the glorious sun with me
Report to the manager every morning with me
Talk about their adventurous childhood memories
Everyday getting tools to get the job done
Making sure that my drill bit is sharp
Provided with a never-ending load of wood
While assuming my efforts were understood
Then when the day has passed
Allow me to rest
With the knowledge that i have done my best

