Photo-Poetry Challenge : Photo 11
This is the poem that I submitted for the 5th Dead Poet's Society (Singapore) poetry writing competition. It did not win the popular vote by the forumites. But it was mentioned by 2 of the invited judges of the competition. One selected it as his top choice, the other gave it a runner-up spot. More of that later.
When I was a child growing up in the Tanjong Pagar and Kallang areas, there were plentiful of these trishaw riders plying their trade there. Theirs is a dying trade now. What's left are organised jaunts, for the benefit of the tourists.
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image by LazerLordz
twilight
This much i know
the streets of the city
the alleys, the lanes.
Once life was kinder,
this old trishaw and me
fetching tai tais to markets,
to mahjong games,
chatting the cabaret girls
hear their sad stories.
Now there is not much to do,
kill my time under a shade,
roll a cigarette,
sometimes an occasional tourist
takes my photo,
gives me
some loose change.
How long can these
tar-stained lungs,
arthritistic limbs
take me?
the city will not defeat me
only death will
then the bureaucrats
have to bury me.
This much they owe.
19.04.06
********
When I was a child growing up in the Tanjong Pagar and Kallang areas, there were plentiful of these trishaw riders plying their trade there. Theirs is a dying trade now. What's left are organised jaunts, for the benefit of the tourists.
--------------------------
image by LazerLordz
twilight
This much i know
the streets of the city
the alleys, the lanes.
Once life was kinder,
this old trishaw and me
fetching tai tais to markets,
to mahjong games,
chatting the cabaret girls
hear their sad stories.
Now there is not much to do,
kill my time under a shade,
roll a cigarette,
sometimes an occasional tourist
takes my photo,
gives me
some loose change.
How long can these
tar-stained lungs,
arthritistic limbs
take me?
the city will not defeat me
only death will
then the bureaucrats
have to bury me.
This much they owe.
19.04.06
********
posted by dsnake1 at 9:45 AM
5 Comments:
love that last line
simultaneously resigned philosophical and vengeful
I wish you can submit this for publication by the local papers or something. It has so much local flavour and most importantly, something important to say about the pace of change and what happens to the oh-too-ordinary people being left behind.
Good one, bro!
floots,
i was in a black mood when i wrote this. :)
medusa,
thanks! hmm, which journal can i send this to? :)
If you're not too averse about seeing your works in ST... hur! hur! . Anyway, i asked an ST journo once about local poetry and she says they welcome contributions. Hopefully they wont think your work is too "radical" :P
hi medusa,
work is flattening me this week, very bad.
ST huh? maybe not now, i prefer the poetry e-journals. i have a couple of poems published in ST a long time ago, haha!
Maybe if they read my blog and ask me, hahahaha!! man, i'm going crazy.
Thanks for your suggestion!:)
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