useless establishment

admissions department at children's hospitals

designed to keep people out, not let people in

suspense

(written while waiting for akshaya to come out of surgery and scope)

I feel right now

like I am the climber 

hanging by a rope in the fog 

being asked to cut the string 

not knowing the ground is right beneath my feet 

I hope that is the case. 

what If there is an abyss beneath instead? 

I guess I will know in 20 min or so 

May it be the ground, nearby, please. 

------

translationn

When my words journey from the language I think in,  

to the language of Encanto, 

to the language of romance 

to the language of poetry 

to a language that lives in anguish

and then back to English 

what is lost and what is gained? 

Apt that it is a poem about a bird,

that flies from tongue to tongue

pondering the existential - 

where do we go when we die? 

From what I see 

we change, subtly so

taking on shades and scars

that can be quite-

beautiful, 

like this image emerging

from the shadows of translation - 

"a bird that swims as prayer"

I found it  flitting in my own poem

all by itself near the end

as though to perch on a bare branch 

in the midst of a transmigratory flight. 

el to sp to fr to tl

பறவைகள் இறந்தால் எங்கே போகும்?
அவை வானத்திலிருந்து விழுகின்றனவா?
அவர்கள் விழும்போது, ​​​​அவர்கள் எங்கே படுத்துக் கொள்கிறார்கள்?

அவை காற்றில் கரைகின்றனவா?

தன்னையறியாமல் பூமியில் உருகவா?

அல்லது பிரார்த்தனை போல மிதக்கிறார்களா?

கரையோரப் பறவை கடலில் வந்து சேருமா?
வெப்பமண்டலப் பறவை மரமாக மாறியதா?
நகரப் பறவையாக இருப்பதை நிறுத்தவா?

பறவைகள் இறந்தால் எங்கே போகும்?

birds tamil from english

பறவைகள் இறந்தால் எங்கே போகும்?
அவை வானத்திலிருந்து விழுகின்றனவா?
மற்றும் அவர்கள் விழும் போது அவர்கள் எங்கே பொய்?

அவை காற்றில் கரைகின்றனவா?
தெரியாமல் பூமியில் உருகுகிறதா?
அல்லது பிரார்த்தனை போல மிதக்கிறார்களா?

கடலோரப் பறவை கடலில் முடிகிறதா?
வெப்பமண்டலப் பறவை மரமாக மாறுமா?
ஒரு நகரப் பறவை அப்படியே நின்றுவிடுகிறதா?

பறவைகள் இறந்தால் எங்கே போகும்?

birds Spanish

¿A dónde van los pájaros cuando mueren?
¿Simplemente caen del cielo?
Y cuando caen, ¿dónde se acuestan?

¿Se disuelven en el aire?

Fundirse en la tierra, sin darse cuenta?

¿O siguen flotando, como una oración?

¿Un ave costera acaba en el mar?
¿Un pájaro tropical convertido en árbol?
¿Deja de ser un pájaro de ciudad?

¿A dónde van los pájaros cuando mueren?

birds

Where do birds go when they die?
Do they just fall from the sky? 
And when they fall where do they lie?

Do they dissolve into the air?

Melt into earth, unaware?

Or do they float on, like a prayer?

Does a coastal bird end in the sea?
A tropical bird become a tree?
Does a city bird just cease to be?

Where do birds go when they die?

where do birds go

Where do birds go when they die?

Do they just fall from the sky?

And when they fall where do they lie?

Do they dissolve into air?

Do they sink into the

Or do they float like a prayer?

Do coastal birds bleed into seas?

Do tropical  birds blend into trees?

And do city birds just cease to be?

Where do birds go when they die

worlds end

This morning I tried to wake up the son

he pulled up his blanket and said 

I'm not done 

what if when the world comes crashing down

I'm home, alone, 

just writing this po

not done

This morning I tried to wake up the son

he pulled up his blanket and said 

I'm not done 

is that his way of saying 

he's still got dreams to ride till their scintillating end

and cuddles to receive, curled up against his dad? 

what if I'm dieting when the world ends? 

I'm gonna get a mee hoon goreng now, just in case 

what if I'm spring cleaning when the world ends 

that's a pity there would be no one left to see my pretty house 

what if when the world comes crashing down

I'm home, alone, 

just writing this po

------

shadow on water

I fall like a shadow on a lake

untouched by water 

ode to crab 3

A crab 

which cracks open coconut shells

and wears coconut husks 

when you can't find other homes,  

what can we call you,

but a coconut crab! 

A crab 

whicb drowns in the sea

but scales trees with ease, 

you are all over the world I see.

How did you get there and

why do you flash 

sometimes red and sometimes blue? 

Mysterious mood-swinging crab are you! 

A crab 

which steals pots and pans 

and the occasional boot,

you have a penchant for smelly food, 

once you even went for the whiskey bottle,

Drunken robber crab are you!

A crab 

though not poisonous by nature

you become so 

when you eat poisonous food.

You are what you eat indeed,

for what doesn't kill you

makes you stronger, 

Transformer crab are you! 

A crab

whose superpower is that of smell

you can sniff out blood 

from a mile away.

Not for you the usual crab fare 

of dead marine worms.

You work in a team 

to lay booby traps for the booby bird, 

Number one bloodhound 

gangsta crab are you!

A crab 

that bridges the after world ,

in Japan, you are yashigari,

you allow ancestors to return as you.

Do you run differently 

when they are in you? 

Spirit runner crab are you!

A crab

with the strength of 10 

human fists in one claw,

yet a good tickle in your stomach 

releases your grip.

Pity Amelia Earhart didn't know this trick

when she fell among you

in Nikumaroro Island

Jelly belly crab

I will never mess with you! 

#spwm22 #spwm22day24 #jemstones #plscrit #saltwaterprompt #workinprogress

ode to the coconut crab 2

Ode to the Coconut Crab 

A crab 

who gorges on coconut flesh 

and wears coconut husks 

when you can't find other homes,  

what can we call you,

but a coconut crab! 

A crab 

whicb cannot swim 

but scales trees with ease, 

you are all over the world I see.

How did you get there and

why do you flash 

sometimes red and sometimes blue? 

Mysterious mood-swinging crab are you! 

A crab 

which steals pots and pans 

and the occasional boot,

you have a penchant for smelly food, 

Giant robber crab are you!

A crab 

though not poisonous by nature

you become so 

when you eat poisonous food.

You are what you eat indeed,

for what doesn't kill you

makes you stronger, 

Transformer crab are you! 

A crab

with 40% of the brain 

devoted to the olfactory,

you can sniff out blood 

from a mile away, 

Bloodhound crab are you! 

A crab 

that bridges the after world 

with the present,

in Japan, ancestors return as you.

Do you run differently 

when they are in you? 

Spirit runner crab are you!

Not for you the usual crab fare 

of molluscs and seaweed, no.

You work in a team 

to lay booby traps for the booby bird, 

Number one gangsta crab are you!

The strength of 10 human beings in one claw,

yet a good tickle i  your stomach 

releases your grip,  

Jelly belly crab - you are a wonder 

aren't you? 

#spwm22 #spwm22day24 #jemstones #opentocrit #saltwaterprompt

https://8billiontrees.com/animals/coconut-crab/#:~:text=Their%20diet%20encompasses%20a%20variety,the%20nickname%20%E2%80%9Crobber%20crab.%E2%80%9D

the coconut crab

the ode to the coconut crab 

a crab 

who gouges thru coconut flesh 

and wears coconut husks 

when you can't find other shells, 

what can we call you

but a coconut crab! 

a crab 

whicb cannot swim but scales trees with ease, 

you are found all over the world I see

how did you get there? 

and why are you sometimes red and sometimes blue?.

you are a mystery crab! 

 a crab 

which steals pots and pans 

and the occasional boot

you have a penchant for smelly food

you are also the robber crab! 

a crab 

though not poisonous, you become so

when you eat poisonous food! 

you are what you eat indeed! 

what doesn't kill you

makes you stronger, eh 

you transformer crab

A Crab

of mythical proportions 

40% of your brain devoted to the olfactory

you can sniff out blood from a mile away, 

you are not a smelly crab 

but a smelling crab

in Japan, apparently 

you are a mover and shaker 

bridging the after world with the present,

ancestral spirits return as you

you are spiritual, spirit vehicle, crab 

not for you the usual crab fare 

of molluscs and seaweed 

no you work in a team 

to lay booby traps for the booby bird

the number one gangsta crab are you

the strength if 10 human beings in one claw

yet a good tickle under your belly

 can release your grip 

you are nothing but a cuddly old dudly are aren't you crab

of tough exterior and a jelly belly! 

you are a wonder

you coconut crab!

interdial

intertidal zones

where the giant mudskpper

crabs 

horseshoe cra

giant coconut crab

robber cab

keep a watch out for anything smelly

super grip 10 times that of human beings. but tickle under the belly and it releases immediately 

not poisonous usually 

but if injects poison can become poisonous! 

Japanese believe ancestral spirits can return as coconut crabs 

40 percent of the brain devoted to sense of smell-smell food and even blood 

ate amelia ear heart?.

spread out all over the world but cannot swim! 

if cannot find a shell will adopt a coconut as a shell. thus the name

love coconut

mount coordinated attacks on boobies and other crabs and rats

stole saucepan boot 

aura diet 2022

not so effective this year to be sure

started one by myself on April 21. lasted 4.5 days. then had carbs. 

gonna try next 6 days having just one main meal a day and have only juices drinks or fruits rest of the meals. if I can do that maybe can keep this up for 5 days a week. 5 days a week just eat one main meal a day. half the time is just temptation and greed. not hunger . 

spwm22

poems I wrote this time I like so far

1. mushrooms 

2. soil 

3. pants 

4. we don't talk about 

5. pets 

6. all I want 

7. 3 words from a friend my book

8. Little things make me happy 

9. grandmothers backyard 

10. letter writing 

23 days of poetry and 8 jems ..

archive 

day 1. how I became  a poet 

day 2. what I wish

day 3 don't talk about 

day 

day 

day 

meyappa chettiar Road 

eavesdropping

I'm next to a couple who makes me uncomfortable 

the guy is jumpy

he tried to kiss the girl when he came in and she may have resisted. he asked why you push me away at least three times and then kissed her anyway

then sitting opposite her seems very pushy and jumpy. yucky 

he keeps reaching out to touch her hands. she doesn't respond

seems happier with ice cream here

occasionally snipes at her. you kicked me. seems insecure 

now seems angry coz she didn't say no prawns for him.glaring at her. she takes the prawn from him. he sighs at his food 

he asks her how she can be so forgetful then forces her to eat some of his food even as she protests him mixing it with her food. he seems immature and spiteful and spoilt and insecure.  what is she doing with him. . 

she says something laughingly and in disagreement with him..he almost yells I a high pitched voice what is wrong with you? 

I'm aware of how judgy I am though 

the shackles come off

April is the start of new beginnings

the shackles are coming off

at gatherings from 

2-> 5 -> 10 -> THE WORLD 

no more trace together yes! 

unmasked in public yes! 

things that happened in April

my mariiage hit a rock but we are moving along together now

I took the bus to work

met office colleagues after 2 years 

missed a friends birthday 

got my poems accepted 

-----

a bird i saw. the long-tailed shrike . 2nd sighting and now I knew its name 

the body remembers 

something I said you are so difficult to parent. his face fell he grew up in a second.  

I feel like a single mother

I know I will leave him one day

follow the brush

anything can be covered in chocolate

strawberries, marshmallow, cookies

buildings, your face, 

you are so difficult to parent

his face fell and he grew up 

in 1 second 

the long tailed shrike 

struck a pose at night 

I could name it! and now i can hear it

the body remembers 

bus routes, train stations 

the way you feel under me 

magic mushrooms 3

You magically sprout

in middling places

like the crevices in pavements

and in between kitchen tiles

owning the liminal.

You first popped up 

near the Magic Faraway Tree,

home to the Red Gnomes.

Cherry red with white polka dots,

nestled in green,

I searched for you in vain

around the longkang behind my block.

Now I see you glistening on china –

gourmet fare, the vegetarian’s steak,

swimming in black pepper, garlic, olive oil,

sautéed, souped, sandwiched, swirled in butter.

Born to soak in all that surrounds,

you are a mystery, mycelium.

Neither plant nor animal, 

you play by your own rules.

At your whim you

please, poison or send 

to ethereal planes.

After the rain, 

you shoot up to line the curb,

moving stealthily along rot,

your thousand spores ready to burst

onto another day, another world.

When this world dies,

perhaps only you will survive.

#spwm22 #spwm22day20 #jemstones #critifyouwant #funguysprompt

magic mushrooms 2

Mushrooms magically sprout

in middling places

like the crevices in pavements

and in between kitchen tiles.

They first popped up 

near the Magic Faraway Tree,

home to the Red Gnomes

who run board meetings

upon them.

Cherry red with white polka dots,

nestled in green,

I searched for them in vain

around the longkang behind my block.

Now I see them glistening on china –

gourmet fare, the vegetarian’s steak,

swimming in black pepper, garlic, olive oil,

sautéed, souped, sandwiched, swirled in butter.

Born to soak in all that surrounds,

you are a mystery, mycelium.

Neither plant nor animal, 

you play by your own rules.

At your whim you

please, poison or send 

to ethereal planes.

After the rain, 

you shoot up to line the curb,

moving stealthily along rot,

your thousand spores ready to burst

onto another day, another world.

When this world dies,

perhaps only you will survive.

#spwm22 #spwm22day20 #jemstones #critifyouwant #funguysprompt

The body has memory

 

Today I returned to work by bus for the first time in 2 years

Honesty, I couldn’t recall which line to take, which exit to get out of

If I had stopped to think, and check schedules and maps

I think would have been overwhelmed

But

Today I just followed my instinct

My body moved ahead of my brain

I found myself wondering about my directions even as I took them

But what do you know

I found myself at work, on time

Without having thought about it all

Truly

The body remembers!

mushrooms

an ode to mushrooms

mysterious mushrooms magic themselves onto this earth

popping up as toadstools near the magic faraway tree 

cherry red with white polka dots

nestled in green .

I spent my childhood hunting for these 

I never saw them, not here in Singapore 

but I saw different types here though 

white spindlyfat, domed

which are poisonous and which are not I do not know

teach me to grow mushrooms

neither animal nor plant 

you are in between 

living off rot 

tasting so meaty 

a vegetarian's steak 

you fulfil so many roles

none today 

a dozen tomorrow

After the rain

truly like magic 

overnight you appear 

dewy and tall

and your thousand spores

ready to burst open

onto another day another world 

when the world dies perhaps only you will survive 

bridgerton fervour

I love season 2 more than season 1 even if the delicious rene paige is not available. 

it's good he is not for he could not compete with the fire and chemistry between Johnathan Bailey, and Simone.  they light up the screen. they obviously love each other ( as characters) and the forbidden nature of their love makes it all the more alluring and yearning

he says so much in a look. all he needs is a look to show he is smitten and struggling to hide it. .when he catches a glimpse of her leg, when he tries to get her to say why he should not marry the sister 

he declares his love at least 4 times!  

tell me you have no feelings for me

you consume me, the bane of my existence and object of all my desire 

he says everything but I love you and that he says at the end 

his go inside and you must stop. electrifying. and of course giving her orders is a challenge she cannot resist so she rises each and every time.  she initates the first proper kiss after the wedding failed. 

gorgeous acting and story 

and I much prefer this kind to all the rampant sex in season 1. slow burn. whoo

fish out of water

fish out of water 

listening to this track

takes me back

to those days

when I would check out

zouk

and felt like a fish out of water, 

gasping for air in a place where everyone around me seemed at home

bobbing their heads in a trance

I was always more of a kilimanjaro gal,

where the beat would get me moving 

without me even realising 

listening to this music today, 

to my dismay 

I still feel very much

like a fish out of water. 

wrong

even if putin was provoked

he was absolutelybwringnfor invading a country and destroying its cities and killing its people. 

nothing can exonerate him of his crime 

nothing 

if aishu provokes ashwin is he justified in breaking her arm? 

absolutely not. 

exactly so here.  regardless od the annoyance and provocation he was WRONG to invade and wreck such destruction upon a country like this

and all those who dare say he is right, they are scum.  let them.provoke someone and have others crush them entirely and let them applaud the invader then!

Belarus, China even India, they are treading dangerous grounds. 

voices in my head

from student to a teacher 

I used to sit in class

to watch you speak and 

jab at the air to emphasise a point

now I watch you on the screen 

but the jabs are not obvious 

your hands just disappear into virtual backgrounds

and you stop yourself, reluctantly I can tell

I plug my headphones in

and now you are right in my head 

booming, I can't escape you

I can't avoid you

cancellationn

Part 1

--------

My son at 3 was dino obsessed

One day he drew a T- Rex all spiky and green,

that filled the page from top to bottom.

See its claws ready to rake you 

and those eyes, coals on fire.

Once done he picked up a brown crayon,

and called our, Mum watch me 

I'm making  my dinosaur disappear! 

and he methodically filled the page

from bottom to top in brown scrawls

cancelling his own work with pride and joy.

I watched, mouth agape

stopping myself from stopping him

deface his work, 

now only alive in this poem. 

Little did I know 

he was fulfilling a writing prompt,  

just 7 years in advance!

'Deface' is how I saw it then, 

focusing on the product. 

He was always about the process, 

and he could bear it, even revel in it.

For him magic was in making it disappear, 

not by erasing but by overlaying

and in so doing he avoided all attachment to his work of art

Could I ever create, like that, and cancel in one breath? 

I've been challenged, so here I am! 

Part 2

give me 3

Give me 3 words I say

and I'll gift you a poem.

My old friend is silent

but generous.

Here I am he indicates,

take as many as you want.

I caress the fabric of his words, 

warm memory guiding me

into channels deep, 

the tributaries Shiva's matted tresses.

His words are already poetry, 

how can I gift him one myself? 

But I can try. 

I'll start with messengers 

in the form of dolphins in legends,

and also poems 

that carry charms

from writer to reader. 

Not so reliable, perhaps 

not the kind to say one thing and mean just that, 

but more like diamonds that glint 

blue, green and even red, 

depending on the light. 

I cannot tell how my friend takes the gift 

A book is an old friend one can turn to as well, no?

#spwm22 #spwm22day10 #jemstones #opentocrit #workinprogress #befriendingprompt

give me 2

Give me 3 words I say

and I'll gift you a poem.

My old friend is silent

but generous.

Here I am he indicates,

take as many as you want.

I caress the fabric of his words, 

warm memory guiding me

into channels deep, 

the tributaries Shiva's matted tresses.

His words are already poetry, 

how can I gift him one myself? 

But I can try. 

I'll start with messengers 

in the form of dolphins in legends,

and also poems 

that carry charms

from writer to reader. 

Not so reliable, perhaps 

not the kind to say one thing and mean just that, 

but more like diamonds that glint 

blue, green and even red, 

depending on the light. 

My friend's Hungey Tide 

devours me whole

I dive into his words every now and then,

immerse myself in tide country 

lush with mangroves, tigers, crocodiles and history. 

A book is an old friend 

one can turn to as well, no?

#spwm22 #spwm22day10 #jemstones #opentocrit #workinprogress #befriendingprompt

give me

Give me 3 words I say

and I'll gift you a poem.

My old friend is silent

but generous.

Here I am he indicates,

take as many as you want.

I caress the fabric of his words, 

warm memory guiding me

into channels deep, 

the tributaries Shiva's matted tresses.

His words are already poetry 

how can I gift him one myself? 

But I can try. 

I'll start with messengers 

in the form of dolphins in legends,

and also poems..

They carry charms

from writer to reader

Not so reliable, perhaps 

not the kind to say one thing and mean just that, 

but more like diamonds that glint blue, green and even red, depending on the light. 

My friend's Hungey Tide 

devoured me whole

I dive into his words every now and then,

immerse myself in tide country 

lush with mangroves, tigers, crocodiles and history. 

An old book is a fond friend 

one can turn to as well, no?.

in different ti e

so poems mean different things to different readers in different lights,and points in their life 

bringing and taking 

only

the meaning changes in each exchange 

en

his words are already poetry 

how can I gift him one myself

tide country 

a land submerged half the year

rising and falling to the vagaries of the monsoon

she falls into murky depths 

it could be reeds or crocodiles that grasp at her ankles 

bon bibi

tigers 

channels 

irawaddy dolphin 

tree

crushing weight 

camps

would an old book count as aile friend 

warning v 6

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

To love is to linger 

over the single feather left at the sill,

dig ourselves into a quagmire, 

howling with despair

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate.

#spwm22 #spwm22day9 #jemstones #opentocrit #warningprompt #

warning v 5

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

To love is to sob 

over the single feather left at the sill

To love is to long 

for the warm weight in our arms

To love is to wish like never before 

to go back in time 

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate

warming v 4

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

To love is to sob 

over the single feather left at the sill

To love is to long 

for the warm weight in our arms 

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate

warning v3

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

 

To love is to dig ourselves into a quagmire 

of fears, expectations and disappointment and gut wrenching despair 

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate.

#spwm22 #spwm22day9 #jemstones #opentocrit #warningprompt

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

To love is to sob 

over the single feather left at the sill

To love is to long 

for the warm weight in our arms

To love is to wish like never before 

to go back in time to do things right 

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate

warning v2

Do not buy a bird, with a cage and toys to play,

one open window and it will fly away.

Do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes,

it will break your heart when it dies.

Do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date,

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate.

Above all, do not love. 

To love is to battle everyday, 

our fears and expectations.

 

To love is to dig ourselves into a quagmire 

howling with despair.

To love is to be alone

with imprints of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate.

#spwm22 #spwm22day9 #jemstones #opentocrit #warningprompt

toughest thing

The toughest thing about parenting for me

is fighting the idea that that we can make something of our kids.

Sometimes we have just let our kids be,

and accept they may be sad, grumpy, prone to seeing the glass as half empty.

Positivity in the self is one thing

but we cannot command our kids to be positive, 

bemoan the fact that they seem to 

wake up each morning and ask 

"how can I be miserable today

let me count the ways".

That's us imposing our world view on them. 

That's the challenge,

can I let them be who they are

without judging, moulding, and pummelling them into the versions of themselves that I want them to be ? 

parenting

do not buy a bird, with  cage and toys to play

one open window and it will fly away

do not buy a dog that looks at you with dopey eyes

it will break your heart when it dies 

do not buy a kitten that chews your earrings on a date 

you won't be able to keep it from slipping through the gate

above all, do not love. 

to love is to lose sleep and 

do battle everyday, 

with our worries, fears and own expectations

 

to love is to dig ourselves 

into a quagmire 

howling with despair

to love is to be alone

with only memories 

of all who have now since 

flown away, died, slipped through the gate. 

‐-----

do not buy fish that swim in tiny circles 

they will die before they know their name 

little things

little things make me happy 

like the colleague rushing out importantly, tissue in hand

he pauses a second to show me a tiny green thing curled up. 

a caterpillar he says, almost apologetically-it could been a green worm.

he was going to release it in the shrubs outside the office

he could have crushed it, squished it got back to his emails and meetings 

but he picked it up, and chose to escort it to safety 

he was rushing too

maybe he was squeamish 

maybe he was late for an appointment 

still he did it

he reminded me of the line

when we can choose to be anything in this world

let's choose to be kind. 

mask off

masked

masked animals? 

the masked thus and masked that 

and the masked toddler 

masked pitta

masked booby 

masked lapwing

masked baby 

masks are usually to hide a part of the face 

some have masks permanently painted 

like the masked pitta and lapwing 

and the racoon 

some are worn for allure and mystery 

like juliet and her romeo

at the capulet's ball

some wear full face cover,

as part of job requirements 

like the bank robber and the astronaut 

the compartmentalisation of the face is not new

poems have been written just about the arch of the eyebrow and depth of the iris

the eyes have always been valued in contributing to our look

but in the last two years

new wonders have been revealed

the nose, lips and chin

these matter too

I've not recognised close friends

with masks on

and so a new world awaits

especially the toddlers,

when may have come to think

of the nose and mouth as private parts

only to b revealed at home

a new and scary world awaits

masks are off and faces in full reveal! 

we know the eye has always distinguished us

who knew our noses and mouths add to our face shape too? 

in the last two years a new creature has emerged 

the masked 

mask off prompt

should juliet meet romeo at a ball today 

they would hold each other a meter apart 

and learn to speak with just those eyes 

their masked balls would have guests coveting the bottom halves of their faces 

not the top 

we have gotten used 

to the compartmentalisation of the face.

to mask off now is to be naked again,

talking to ourselves on our way to work

our unsmiling walks to the pantry

all on display 

for the world to see

who knew our noses and mouths contributed that much 

and to unshe

ath these for every one to see

Mars my gave naked

I feel.abashed and then bold

ripping my mask off my face in public 

I have nothing to hide, my action proclaims 

how grumpy, or sad, or mad we are

with our talking to ourselves 

and unsmiling walk to the pantry 

let me write

 

Let me write

about the lost art of letter writing,

and serenade

its lost twin, the art of composition,

that of curating the details of our day,

replete with observations, thoughts, feelings, losses and longings

which traverse the distance from heart and mind through ink onto paper,

all for an intimate audience of

one -

one special person who would receive

our hand-written ruminations of that past hour

complete with a sign-off, quoting lines from hit songs of the day

truly, madly, deeply.

 

Even if we wrote the same letter to another friend,

It would never be exactly the same.

The handwriting may curve differently for the letters ‘y’ and ‘m’,

an exclamation mark may tone down to a comma,

and so this poem

laments the loss of those authentic records of teenage feelings

collected in letters written during Econs and Lit lectures,

and once, even during a Geography prelim exam,

to a friend who read it once, and

maybe, still has it in a dusty file

at the back of the top-most storage cupboard above the wardrobe.

 

So different today, when each burst of thought

is immediately captured in public tweets

And each memorable scene is instagrammed across the globe

So our thoughts and feelings and losses and longings blurt out of us in print

On an as and when basis

While, longer compositions are crafted, styled and assembled

A para here, a para there,

Perhaps like this poem itself,

And those days of receiving, in one breath, so to speak, a letter from a friend,

Is somewhat

Lost.

lost art ofnletter writing

the lost art of letter writing

surreptiously filled out during econs lectures 

and once even during a geography exam 

updating ones friends 

of the day's events

observations on teachers, 

friends the self the interior self

that art of putting together a series of thoughts that mattered at that moment in writing with a signature 

how it kept us going thru jc and uni days 

unlike now, where every thought can be tweeted, every memorable moment captured on Instagram with  a caption 

gone is the art of sustained composition of thoughts and feelings meant for an intimate audience of 1

that 1 person who received your handwritten letter

no one else would get exactly test ever, 

oh an for every  art there is disart  that of the poison pen letter! but that is not something I miss

 

depressed

I find it requires effort now

for me to be cheerful

the change in me is subtle

not everyone may notice 

but I do

the tiredness 

the feel that effort is needed for want comes naturally usually 

making friends

making people feel comfortable 

i magine her bleeding right away and I'm scared 

she's lost weight, looking pale, having stomach pains, is tired and she is going thru all of this 

crossing the street

I'm at a junction 

I need to cross the road.

the light is red 

but the road is clear

at least to my right 

I cross to the middle

the light is still red

but now cars are streaming past

from my left. 

there are gaps

but I'm not sure if I will make it 

if I walk across. 

I play out a scenario as I stand there

poised to dash,

if I were to just strike across the road now

in red light with cars streaming by 

whom would I affect ? 

I may get hit

and I would affect myself of course

also my family, who would have to cope with me, or my passing 

but I would also affect the driver of the car which hits me

scarring him or her for life possibly 

and his or her family and colleagues and community

and then also those who witness such an act

they would be emotionally scarred

so I dig in my heels

and wait 

for the light to turn green.

brunoprompt 2

Do marriages die

with a whimper or a bang? 

Can you see when it starts?

If you see it, can you stop it? 

Would you even want to try? 

Let's talk about the weather 

shall we,

or the war in Ukraine

or that resounding slap.

Let's talk about grocery 

and the school run

and who needs the car when.

Two well oiled cogs 

need never stop to chat 

to keep the machine moving,

So let's talk 

about anything 

but us.

#spwm22 #spwm22day3 #jemstones #Brunoprompt #grainsoffallingsandbonus #opentocrit.

we don't talk about poem

we don't talk about the cracks 

that lead to fissures

in a marriage

when little things matter 

and yet don't

when each wants different things 

and weight up whether to speak or not

like watching a tragedy unfold 

with one party oblivious 

and the other in pain 

____€__€€€€__

we don't talk about the cracks

that lead to fissures 

in a marriage 

18 years seems a good run 

when does one stop caring 

if the other is hurting 

as you stand at that road

you wonder 

are these cross roads

or just a bumpy stretch 

and is next word or action  

gonna make a difference 

words can slice the air in between

but so can silence 

do marriages die

with a whimper or bang

and can you even see it when it starts

and if you see if can you stop it

would you even want to try? 

why would we want to talk about these things 

to talk might make it real 

let's talk about the weather shall we

or the war in Ukraine

or that resounding slap 

let's talk about grocery 

and the school run

and who needs the car when

two well oiled cogs 

need never stop to chat 

to keep the machine moving 

let's talk about anything 

but us.

list poem

all that I wish for, for myself or others

Akshaya 

all that I wish for you 

is a normal childhood 

with normal worries and fears

like arguments on whether it's okay to wear ripped shorts.

and moaning about homework 

I wish you could just go to dance class every week 

and make friends at drama cca 

and argue about screen time

what I wish for you the most 

is for this to end

this flare 

this uncertainty 

the tiredness 

the careful planning

the growing up before your time 

the maturity you show in taking your tablets

the stoic way you take to blood tests and drips 

the silent tears that roll down your cheeks before you chin up and face the world 

and not worry about how long this flare will last 

and how much childhood is lost

v2

Ive always known the earth spins at a tilt

today I can actually feel it 

not quite in control 

A plague is racing through the globe, 

over mountains and across oceans

invisible, mutating, 

decimating populations 

2 years with no end in sight

we learn to live with this tilt 

masked warriors, we even try to untilt 

war has broken out in europe again

s.d like tectonic plates sliding, 

we witness the shifts in power

a country cancelled in united moral outrage, the rouble tumbling 

new alliances forming, 

countries take sides 

weighing the risks

the earth just keep tilting 

Ice sheets the size of countries 

are breaking away 

when they melt 

islands will sink 

and the world will be reshaped 

and in London, 

it is snowing in April 

I am tilting with the earth today 

spinning spinning 

away.

tilting world

 Ive always known the earth spins at a tilt

today I feel I can actually feel it 

the earth tilting, spinning, throwing things off course 

not quite in control 

A plague is racing through the globe, 

across mountains and oceans

invisible but powerful, 

tumbling through mutations 

decimating populations 

2 years and no end in sight

we learn to live with this tilt 

masked warriors, we try to untilt 

war has broken out in europe again

like tectonic plates sliding, we witness the shifts in power

a country cancelled in united moral outrage, the rouble tumbling 

new alliances forming, 

countries take sides weighing the risks

the earth just keep tilting 

Ice sheets the size of countries are breaking away 

when they melt 

islands will sink 

and the world will be reshaped 

it is snowing in April 

I am tilting with the earth today 

spinning spinning 

away 

A Vegetarian Slip

 

A vegetarian slip

 

I bit into a sandwich just now

Juicy, layered,

I savoured the bite, took another.

Then I spied a sliver of pink

Ham, I’m fairly sure,

I stop.

I can still taste it, and,

dare I admit, I savour it

Until

I think of the creature behind that sliver

intelligent, one that that loved its babies

and likely squealed in terror

at the slice of the blade through its tendons,

squirts of blood fountaining.

The food sticks in my throat

The rest of the sandwich now sits in my bag,

almost tempting, but not quite.

spwm 22 day 1

Hi folks! I'm Jennifer Anne Champion and it is my pleasure to declare SingPoWriMo 2022 OPEN 👏👏👏. May you find new friends and engage with voices that inspire you, learn and unlearn and relearn the joys and sorrows of expressing your thoughts, and of course write a heap of poems. 

Here is your first prompt. 

THE BEGINNER'S LUCK PROMPT    

New to SingPoWriMo? Or still feeling like a noob? Or feeling like a noob but with the poetic powers of a senpai? This prompt is for everyone, no matter what skill level. 

Write a poem committing all the 'mistakes' you made as a new poet. If this is your first poem, write about being new to all this and what you hope to achieve out of your decision to join the SingPoWriMo community (Welcome by the way!).  

   

#FortuneFavoursTheBoldBonus: End rhyme like nobody's business.  

#YoureSoLuckyBonus: Throw in a gambling reference.  #InTheBeginningBonus: Make your poem an origin story of you as a poet    

#spwm22 #spwm22day1 #BeginnersLuckprompt