Heavenly Sword learns to write poems...
I've been thinking of taking up Poetry Writing as my new hobby, having been inspired by talented Singaporean lawyer Mr Gilbert Koh at The Reader's Eye and talented Singaporean blogger Dead Poet at Rest in Peace, so let me give it a try on this peaceful Saturday night....
Singapore Angle's latest entry about books and new blogger Trisha's entry about the National Library as a 'storehouse of knowledge' have inspired me to write a poem about 'Books'...
******
Books
Books have helped and hurt me in my life
They have burnt a big hole in my small pocket
And made me a very poor man indeed...
Books have made me wiser, though still not wise enough
More critical, but still not critical enough
More conscious of the world at large, but still not conscious enough...
Books have made my tiny HDB flat a huge mess
But custom-made bookshelves cost too much to make
And bungalows cost too much to purchase
Books are for the rich men to buy
And for the poor men to borrow
That is what libraries are for...
Yet books-buying is an addiction that is hard to break
For books on hand for scribbling and highlighting are great
Thus making the poor man poorer and poorer all his life...
******
Singapore Angle's latest entry about books and new blogger Trisha's entry about the National Library as a 'storehouse of knowledge' have inspired me to write a poem about 'Books'...
******
Books
Books have helped and hurt me in my life
They have burnt a big hole in my small pocket
And made me a very poor man indeed...
Books have made me wiser, though still not wise enough
More critical, but still not critical enough
More conscious of the world at large, but still not conscious enough...
Books have made my tiny HDB flat a huge mess
But custom-made bookshelves cost too much to make
And bungalows cost too much to purchase
Books are for the rich men to buy
And for the poor men to borrow
That is what libraries are for...
Yet books-buying is an addiction that is hard to break
For books on hand for scribbling and highlighting are great
Thus making the poor man poorer and poorer all his life...
******
posted by Heavenly Sword at 10:13 PM
23 Comments:
Hi Dead Poet, I'm sure they will be published one day! What are dreams for, if not to come true? (as a BMW advertisement said long time ago)
Thanks for the encouragement! I will be grateful to receive your pointers on how to improve this. Besides, you're not a stranger - you're my regular customer! :)
It's an honour to have this posted in your forum. And I look forward to seeing the reactions. 'Good or bad' doesn't matter, 'cos main aim is to improve...
Nice. Haven't tried one of these for a long time.
Reminds me of a joke in Chinese. It basically asks: why is it 科学家, 政治家, 作家, 画家, even 哲学家, but 诗人? Answer: 因为写诗不赚钱不能养家.
Interesting! How about "博客" (blogger)? Is it part of the "养家" (family-supporting) professions? :)
By the way, I have managed to lay my hands on a great manual - on how to write with great profundity (i.e. writing 'cheemly')! I think that will help in my Poetry Writing...
what's the book? share leh.;)
Hi Ball.of.Yarn, hur hur hur... :) *evil smile* Do you have a secret email address?
Hi Dead Poet, it's a manual on how to write 'cheemly', not specifically a poetry manual... :)
For non-Singaporean fans of Heavenly Sword (I don't know if there are any, but just in case...), the Singlish term 'cheem' can be defined as the following:
"Profound, but not only profound in terms of substance but also convoluted or elusive in terms of form or appearance; in other words, 'cheemness' refers to a deliberate and explicit profundity reflected in and through written or spoken words and accompanied by a textual elegance as well as real or 'quasi-scientific' sophistication; that is, it must be detectable. It should also be able to strike most, if not all, ordinary folks as content that is non-frivolous/substantial and worth pondering about, and possibly awesome and fearful even as it is enchantingly poetic."
Anyway, I have digressed. Re the manual, definitely can share...Do you have an email address for passing of top secrets like this? :) (Mine is 'heavenly.sword@gmail.com')
O Heavenly Sword, a poor man you said you are!
But stop to think, you've gone so far!
From probably someone who knew just a little bit,
To a man who now writes with such wit!
Books therefore never make you poor I say,
even though somehow you have to pay and pay (for them).
Just be glad you are wiser more critical and more conscious than me,
Teach me how to write the way you do, I'll gladly pay a fee!
Therefore don't feel like you're getting poorer in your life.
For if it is knowledge that you strive,
You're certainly one of the richest man alive!
if i tell you here, it wouldn't be a "secret email address" anymore.:)
Will email you.
Dear Garnet, thanks for your brilliant poem and the lavish compliments! It certainly made my day! Actually, I don't mind paying if you would teach me how to write witty poems like that! :)
Ah, I've inspired someone! How nice. :)
I've an old poem about a book that influenced me greatly. I'll put up on the Reader's Eye sometime soon. Do drop by again for a visit.
Hi Heavenly Sword, thanks for leaving your comment on my post some time ago, i was on non Singapore soil and it felt too good to think about injustice, angst and shit - which is what inspires the blogging for me.
May I add one more verse to your poem:
Books made the difference between writers and bloggers
And who actually gives a shit
But these days it seems publishing comes cheap
Hi Vivien, thanks for the verse! Good observation! :)
Hi Trisha, yeah! Singapore can be a Poetry Hub! :)
I see that I'm not the only bookworm around in Sillypore. My mom always say I have too many books lying ard.
Nice poem you have there cos I can identify with almost all of it.
As they say, 书中自有黄金屋。。。so poor men don't good books maketh... no?
In the kingdom of thought, a learned man is the billionaire.
Hi Vandice, glad to meet a fellow bookworm :)
"书中自有黄金屋..."
Alas, that idiom can only come across as a consolation to me now, as that 黄金屋 (golden house) is not anywhere within my reach...!
Dear Mr Koh, thanks for dropping by! Your poems are excellent! I look forward to reading the poem soon. :)
(continuation following inspiration)
Books consist of 'cheem' & 'not-so-cheem' ones
You just have to decide what you want
Is it wisdom, knowledge, or sheer fun?
******End of little poem******
Well its great to enter in this new world of poetry writing...
pls vist my latest blog
on poets/poetess
www.livinginpoetry.blogspot.com
Hi Iamnasra, thanks for the link :)
alamamk y U always say U very poor...
cos I am really poor! :{ Hence I buy 4D every week!
Hello Heavenly Sword!
While you are on the topic of books,
May I ask if you happen to know,
If there is an English translation of Heavenly Sword & Dragon Sabre,
Perhaps in the National Library that I could borrow?
I've watched it again and again,
But have been wanting for years to have a read.
As you go by half of that title as your name,
I thought that you might just have a lead.
Thank you. (I really want to know if there is such a translation available)
Hi HSDS Fan, oops, I just saw your comment (posted on 9 Nov)...
Erm...I don't know if there's an English translation but I don't think there's one...
Maybe I can do a translation! :)
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