Malaysiana - Leatherback Turtle
coconut leaves rustle,
running with the wind
at at least 20 km per hour
waves surge at an
equally frantic speed -
patriotic hands that
repeatedly hold onto
the beach with a roaring
and thunderous voice to
match their claim
a giant turtle slowly emerges
in the water, a dark shadow
accenting the night with its
rare mound and strenuous flippers
the final touchdown in a
thousand mile comeback
each stride and lug forward
reflects a firm belief in the land
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Money animal
razor sharp cannines
that can tear through
the toughest frame
and legs that can run
faster than any animals
and the jaguar falls into
a physique to become
a jaguar and not a man
the god writes couplets
for souls to choose
what they would love to be
a brain that can be
worked to do wonders
but his legs, his hands
his phsiques are no match
for even a horse
a permanent home for cover
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Japanese Short Forms
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winter rain
the calm metropolis
from the first subway train
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fading light
the couple start
for their secret haunt
*****************************
sickle moon
at the river corner
cutting weeds
*****************************
warm embrace
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Starbucks Coffee/The Coffee Bean
starbucks cafe
the boy looks into
the eyes of the man
as he looks into his
cups of coffee from which
both draw their passion
their fingers stir a storm
both prefer to weather
by themselves
the girl looks into
the straining eyes of mom
limpid, brown, a shared
centrum they can hide
and blend their feelings
so that they do not spill over
both understand why
the bitter side of a beverage
is sometimes the most tempting
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Ah late Grandma Is Back
last night late grandma showed her face
on the screen of my mind
perhaps that's her way to say
she had received the merits sent her
from the supplications
at the Mahavira buddhist temple
the temple where new year candles flicker
in little red cuplets filled with oil
through the night on festive occasions
on grandma's face is a spirituality
i had never seen before
she looked a different person
after so many years, she has been to somewhere
and yes she has put on weight
like before not a word was spoken
but who needs words when one's face itself
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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The Echoing Green
he shares his dream
with his friends;
the trees, birds,
blooms and sea
in shades of blue,
red, green and brown
he carries his dream
from place to place
always with a song
a poem in his heart
come rain or shine
the breeze brings out
his dream in strange ways
splashes, splotches,
points, dots, surrealism,
inspiration trails his soul
he lets go of his dream
like a breeze
amid the sparkles,
glitters of the sea
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Christmas joy
late dad's happiest days, my joyest ones
were tuned up by jingle bells
lit by glittery stars big and small
and coloured by the reddest of hollies
the whitest and fairest of angel hair
as we picked through myriad velvety items
in our favourite souvenir shop
santa clauses jumped from dad's warm hands into mine
before heading for home cheering us
all day long on our giant Christmas tree
also in the fun are reindeer, the Great eastern star
that towered over all of us
powdery snow that specked the tree
and finally the little child in the cradle, Mary, joseph
in a smug horse shed,
they brought us all together
every year, brother, sister, mom and dad
for a few days of wondrous joy
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Haik - Unceased days
pretty woman
wrinkled woman show girls picture
of her uncreased days
inspired by
Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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On the Sea
copenhagen's pain
from the endless horizon
not a mermaid appears
anderson's promise
the lover's fairy loss
the eternal sigh of the sea
morn, dusk, night
the mermaid never appears
only her messengers come greeting
the shells, fishes, turtles and jellyfishes
with no definite answer
the sea begs too
churns and churns
to get to the lady of the sea
'no, i am not coming, '
she could only sigh
it's not her lucky place, she cried
her hot tears steaming down
'even the metallic mermaid
had received cruel treatment, ' she shouted
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Cheng Beng
yesterday was cheng beng
the chinese all souls' day
i was struck by
late grandma's friends
for the first time
they are all so young
at the right
was a cheerful young boy -
the picture was ingratiating
and great
at the left
some young women
churchly type.
well lucky grandma,
has always had
young friends
for companion,
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poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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