POEMS
Life in Poetry
Below is a collection of my poetry and monologues
A Living Tree
(‘If only I can speak…’)
Time calls urgently for mankind to grow,
As too many uncaring men must know-
If progress and peace is to be achieved,
Adaptability to change they need.
Root falls on a massive raven’s redhead.
Mighty is the fight that needs to be gained;
What repentant conscience has got to tell
A heart sobbing and bleeding from down dell?
Eat, drink, rejoice, and celebrate today,
For tomorrow, gather no waste but grace;
Soil, seed, green leaves, enhancing every day,
Toil, trim, trunks, timber, together replace.
Enjoy nature’s pride – for floods no longer
To gamble one’s precious life in danger.
(emikatjun@2006)
Wake Up Call
I was born in a nipa hut,
A small wooden cosy abode,
Walls made of well-patched bamboo stems,
Roofs made of long dried grassy strands.
Wheeh…wheeh…I felt my mother pushed
Me out to my new world I rushed.
Clad in her embrace to protect,
Like living things, endangered most.
Early years, the woods my playground
With nature’s image all around.
School started. I walked, hopped, jumped, ran
And passed the forest to greet friends.
I pointed, counted, endless trees
Such pleasure of fresh air I won.
Gain knowledge, I was encouraged;
A city’s allure had me changed.
Engineer, success I became,
Timber company, I worked for.
Across the globe, I most travelled
Monies earned I squandered.
I faltered; I altered my goals
And chose satisfactory roles.
To my dear village, I went back.
Too late, nothing left but buried;
Swept by mudslides, entombed in rocks!
(emikatjun@2006)
The Voice
I hear that voice again, calling my name
in such…a familiar but strange voice
But I am dead...I’m supposed to be dead!
Why am I hearing things?
I should just be…feeling them
Well, I suppose I am not that DEAD…
Ah….there must be a REASON!
I remember my father used to tell me:
‘My dear Almina – you must always
remember to treat other people the
way you want to be treated.’
I never quite understood at the time
what he really meant by that.
But somehow, I could sense that
those words were of utmost importance.
Yes – my father, my dear dear father
He was not just the best lawyer in the city
with many citation awards and
won various high-profile cases,
He was also the most loving and gentle
person you could ever meet.
My mother, my brother and I totally adored him!
I always looked forward to Wednesdays
as he normally came home early from work
and prepared dinner for all of us.
We would then all watch a movie, play chess
or a game of scrabble….(and I remember
insisting on the word ‘mudy’ m-u-d-y
one time where he summoned
me to check the dictionary).
He was also very talented in literary
and musical activities.
One night, he started to train and coach
me for a piece of Declamation that
I was to represent my school for
in the District’s Literary Competition.
The piece I was to declaim
was a poem by Walt Whitman
called ‘O Captain, My Captain!’
Well, I never had the chance to compete.
For the following night,
the tragedy of my life started.
Where everything and everybody
I loved and cared for
vanished like a thin air!
When my life on earth
would never ever be the same again…
It was around 10pm
I was sitting on my bed
memorising my ‘piece’
When suddenly I heard
a sudden ‘bang’ downstairs
Then a rush of footsteps
and doors banging here and there.
I sat still as I tried to make out
what was going on.
I knew my mother and father
would be in bed by now
And my brother would be fast asleep!
I turned off my bedside lamp.
I could hear heavy footsteps
coming up the stairs, and then…
‘BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...’
The shooting was deafening…
I jumped off my bed
and crawled under it.
I was shaking, I couldn’t cry
with shock, I wanted to
call my mum and dad
But no words would come out!
I heard my door kicked wide open
and heard husky whispers
and a torch lit round my bedroom
I could see two heavy-booted pairs of feet
making giant steps round my room.
Then I heard a very husky voice
said: ‘…empty!’
My door closed behind them
I started to sob…
I heard another deafening shot…
Then….nothing…
I woke up with uniformed
policemen around me,
there were lots of commotions everywhere.
and I could barely make out
the word ‘…hospital…’
(emikatjun@2010)
Respect
Sometimes people find it hard
to realise, RESPECT is EARNED
Not granted nor demanded
Nor inherited.
Age - being older or younger
Does not guarantee respect
It's the way you live your life
That oftentimes gains you respect.
What is respect
When it is based on
Pretentions and deceit?
People change as time goes on
Life teaches them
To speak opinions of their own
Nothing more but with good intentions.
Is it not true that
Sometimes this is hard to accept
By the people they used
To know and respect?
Culture can affect what
Respect can take
But it cannot dictate
Whom to respect.
(emikatjun@2011)
We are all equal in God’s eyes
(We all die and become Dust...)
We are all equal in God's eyes no matter
what race, creed and gender we belong to
We all have purposes here on earth,
Wherever and whenever we are
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
We are all destined where we are
Right at this moment
And we assert our lives just as anyone else
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
We are all equal in God's eyes.
No matter where we come from
Africa, Asia, Europe
Middle East or America
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
We are all equal in God's eyes even
Thai brides who are frowned upon
and looked down
By most people who do not comprehend
Meaning of life does not tend
to be judged at one's end.
They live and have feelings just as anyone
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
God is the only judge
Of who is good or bad
Here on earth we have no right
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
Who are we to judge
What's worthy and for whom?
Life on earth is but a temporary one
In the end, we all die and become Dust.
(emikatjun@2012)
My Son is Fifteen
I woke up this morning
Realised my son just turned fifteen
Where did the years go?
I vividly remember the day
he was born
a pinky wrinkly little being
he was wrapped in his
cozy little blanket
Oh how I adored him!
The endless firsts of his life...
His first squeaky cry
When he first opened his eyes
His first giggles and smiles
and his first mumbles
of ma and da
His favourite word No! for everything
as he shook his little head
His first little steps...
Oh so so many of his firsts
I most cherish!
Almost all of a sudden
he's fifteen...
In between a boy and a man
it must be confusing,
Wouldn't it be nice
to remain being a child?
Oh no, he's a person of his own
Like a tree shooting up to the sky.
Not cool to be seen
with his mother anymore
Oh how I miss those years he was
a happy tug-along
to everywhere I couldn't go on my own!
At home, he'd rather spend time
in his own bedroom
chatting with his pals on the mobile phone
sending messages on msn
Facebook and Xbox games
he couldn't do without
Technology, now his best friend
and tug-along!
But no matter how big changes
he had become
I still love him with
utmost profound
In my life, he is the most beautiful
thing that ever happened...
My son is now fifteen!
(emikatjun@2012)
Happy Birthday Dad in Heaven
Today, you would've been seventy-six
But it's never meant to be
For in his most mysterious ways
God had wonderful plans for thee.
He took you from us
to become our faithful guide
whose words could not be heard
Yet never fail to listen and help.
The times we spent with you
would never be surpassed
You made us realise
Life was worth a fight.
Yes, life was hard and never perfect
Mistakes done yet lessons learnt
Times of pain and hurt occurred
But meaning of love never failed.
Above all, you always had the knack
to challenge us quite right
Aim high, dream wild
And never regret.
Thank you my dearest Dad.
(emikatjun@2013)
A Mother Most Revered
You are one in a million
No doubt about that
You are the epitome
Of a real woman -
A friend, a sister, a wife
Above all, a MOTHER.
You have given up a lot
For your self
To be the best mother
To your dozen children
Anyone who dares dispute
Have no regard of their own.
Our family may be far from perfect
What with constant material needs and that
But you provided us with the best you can
For what we needed to start our own.
Yes, it was tough
Who said it was ever easy
You worked hard
Yet it never seemed enough
But you refused to be deterred
To provide for your family.
Many times, you went out your way
To pawn your would-be pay
At times, you walked miles and miles
Amidst stormy weather
On roads and paths barely passable
No thanks to all those landslides.
And why?
To secure money
To send us to university.
Countless times you endured –
Physical, emotional,
And financial torment
Yet you never bore a grudge
To those who caused you pain
Instead, quietly without complain
You stood tall.
You never gave up
Always found a way
To make things work
The best they could be.
Decades have now gone
You’re still the same
A quiet, caring, loving
And forgiving Mommy
I’ve always known
And you deserve to be HAPPY.
Since you gave birth to me
I became part of you
And you of me.
When you feel happy
I feel happy
When you feel loved
I feel loved.
Equally, when you feel sad
I feel sad
When you feel hurt
I feel hurt.
For this, I made a promise
To myself
To protect and defend you
Till my last breath.
So, I thank you my dearest mother
You are the reason I am here
No one else deserves credit
For my life, but you and dad
I hope in my little ways,
I made you happy and proud.
(emikatjun@2020)
A Mother’s Broken Promise
You came into my life
The greatest blessing of all.
That moment
I first felt your heartbeat
I promised not to let you go
No matter what.
Now the time has come
That promise is gone.
Although my heart aches
To see you go
Nonetheless,
I’m so proud of you.
You’ve set goals and achieved them
All by yourself
And amazed me in the process
You never asked for help
You tried your best on your own first
Only heed advice when it suited you most.
Go on fly, aim high
For the world is your oyster.
Follow your utmost dreams
For some are written in the stars.
So now, my dearest child
I break my promise
And let you go.
But remember always
The Home your first heartbeat was felt
Will always be with you
Wherever you go.
And will remain here
For you. Forever.
(emikatjun@2020)
Oh My Follies
Oh follies in my head
Get out and let me be me!
My body aches
And my soul groans
As you gently strike
Your feathery pike.
What makes of me
With your constant entry
I tighten my guard
You push them aside.
My aching soul longs
For a helping hand
My eyes brim with tears
In front of me, offers stand.
I want to grasp them
With open arms
But hey! My head says
Look you’re not worth them.
I want to do this
You want to do otherwise
When I feel relieved
You feel disappointed.
I aim to be happy
You try to disrupt me
What makes my life
When all you do causes strife?
So my wish for you
Banish to a faraway land
Over the seas, into the ocean
Never come back, infinity you go!
(emikatjun@2020)