My Poems

Sedikit-sedikit Lama-lama Jadi Bukit

Saving dime by dime

Sedikit sedikit Lama-lama jadi bukit A little bit over a long period of time Can create a small fortune dime by dime.   Save a nickel save a dime In due course you will find A jar filled to the brim A small fortune beyond your wildest dream.

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The Con Man

Con man

He has always hungered for money Throughout his life journey By hook or by crook Nothing is wrong in his book.   He presents himself real well His ulterior motives are difficult to tell Once he knows your Achilles’ heel He exploits your frailty at will.   He is adept at misdirecting suspicion And playing on your emotion For him ...

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What Is Happiness?

Happiness is a choice

The November 2017 issue of National Geographic features the article The Search For Happiness with Costa Rica, Denmark and Singapore touted as some of the most joyful places on the planet based on the different strands of happiness: pleasure, purpose and life satisfaction. These different strands of happiness braid together in complementary ways to create lasting joy. How people view ...

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Colourblind

I can't make out what is the number is this jumble of colours.

I know roses are red And grass is green But I am filled with dread With people’s amused grin Whenever I fail a colour test Such as a jumble of colours in a book I always try my best But such tests are not as easy as they look. I may not be able to distinguish all the colours of ...

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Oh How I Long For Thee!

Me on Mount Royal in Montreal in late autumn in the late 1970s

Oh how I long for thee Not seeing you makes me feel empty More than thirty seven years have gone by Since I bade you goodbye.   Memories of you linger Your whiteness in winter Footprints in the snow As temperature dropped low.   Memories of you bring Sweetness and joy in spring Fields of green emerged from their hibernation ...

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Please Let Go Of Me

Please let go of me

Into my life you came two months ago And has adamantly refused to let me go What did I do wrong? You look so forlorn.   In sleep I seek comfort I admit I am at fault Taking your existence too lightly And over-stressing you nightly.   Is this your way of getting even? When will I be forgiven? Can’t ...

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RIP Young Man!

Drug addiction

RIP Young Man Another young life snubbed out Years of struggles came to nought Seeking escape from reality Only to meet with futility. The mountain was too tough to climb Drugs took him to hell, disguised as something sublime Like a prisoner in a prisoner cell Like a ship unable to set sail. Drugs destroyed his body Cutting short his ...

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Fair Land Sarawak

Orangutan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

Land of the Hornbills These protected birds we must not kill Land of the headhunters But that was in the days of our long-gone ancestors   Sarawak is the largest state of Malaysia The country that prides itself as truly Asia Situated on the island of Borneo Sarawak possesses charm and incredible allure.   Famed for its cultural diversity Natural ...

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Sambal Belacan

Sambal belacan

poem about Sambal belacan the favourite Malay chilli condiment

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Old Wives’ Tales

Old wives' tales

We have heard a lot of old wives’ tales Those quirky beliefs old folks like to tell Most are nothing more than mere superstitions Yet many are enthralled by such notions.   Clipping fingernails or toenails at night brings bad luck The logical reason is that it may leave you with a cut Snapping a photo of a sleeping person ...

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