Lesson 3

My badge has a Latin motto
Hope for the future
The future is hope
Or something

At times black crows try to interrupt
When we sing the National Anthem

It is difficult to maintain
The whiteness of my shoes

Especially on Wednesdays I must admit there is something quite special
About the bare thighs of hardworking scouts

The Malay chauffeurs
Who wait for my schoolmates
Sit on the car park kerb
Telling jokes to one another
Seven to the power of five is unreasonable

On Chinese New Year Mrs Lee dressed up
In a sarong kebaya
And sang Bengawan Solo

The capital of Singapore is Singapore

My best friend did a heroic thing once
Shaded all A’s
For his Chinese Language Multiple-choice paper

In our annual yearbook
There is a photograph of me
Pushing a wheelchair and smiling
They caught me
At the exact moment
When my eyes were actually closed

This poem was written in the form of a free verse, structuring it like daily conversation, as if it was trying to engage the reader in normal conversation, relating events about school life, rather than poetically. Alliterations were not used, showing that making this poem have a musical effect is not the top priority in composing this poem. Imagery was used. For example, "black crows" and "whiteness of my shoes". Even though these are not very strong "pictures", they enable the reader to "see" what the poet is trying to show.

1)The poet misses his secondary school. He recalls many significant details of the time he had, regardless of whether it happened regularly or not. Many of the things he remembers are those of happy times, that he did not leave this school without regrets. He seems to want to go back to secondary school life given the chance, to enjoy his past memories once more.

2)Poem of my school

My old school.
My old classroom.
My old teacher.
My old friends.

It was such a long time
Since we moaned about homework.
It was such a long time
Since we cheered when the bell rang.
It was such a long time
Since we had to do practice papers.
It was indeed such a long time
Since we were told to sit down and be quiet.

The computer lab.
Our old haunt.
Pleading,
Rioting,
Begging,
With our teacher,
To let us go.

Chaos
Havoc
and Anarchy
That was how we used to describe
The greatness of our class

After great struggles, we came through
Half went with honors,
Leaving with pages of valuable history
Recorded by our young school.
Others were not bad
Though there were better

Yet all were proud to have
A book each
In the history record
Having gone through and done the unprecedented

Despite the joys and celebration as a class,
There was sadness
It was time to go.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.

We swore
through tears and smiles
that we would stay as one.
One united class. One united group of forever friends.