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





The first stanza
In the first stanza the author uses rhythm to emphasize that he got a new badge. He dosent understand the true meaning of the badge," Hope for the future".As most probably is it was his first badge the author should be happy when thinking back of this
The second stanza
In the second stanza the author does not use any form of rhythm thus its a free verse. I think he enjoyed having crows interrupting as he did not mention any unhappiness and thus was happy when he thought back on this
The third stanza
In the third stanza the author most probably had PE on that day thus could not keep his shoes clean. I believe that this was a bad memory for the author as he was sort of a cleanliness freak, whitening his shoes daily.
The fourth stanza
In the forth stanza,he admires the scouts for their muscle. I believe he doesn't really like the scouts as he used the phrase "must admit", showing a form of unwillingness to say it. The author when recalling this should feel happy as it reminds him of his CCA scouts.
The fifth stanza
The author is envious that his classmates have chauffeurs and also would like to have one. I think he would have found it a pleasant sight to see people joking on the kerbs . He should feel happy as it is pleasant to see people enjoying themselves.
The sixth stanza
The author most probably enjoyed Chinese new year but enjoyed his teacher wearing a traditional costume singing a Malay song. This is most probably a happy memory as he had fun with it
The eight stanza
The author feels it was hilarious that someone would actually put all A in the MCQ.
Last two stanzasIt reveal that the author was actually wheelchair bound but was still optimistic about life being able to smile and have such good memories






My own poet.

Oh!The first day of school
My mother shakes me up from bed
i said
"I can’t go to school because I am sick
If I walk out my house I’ll get hit by a brick"


Oh!The first day of school
My mother shakes me up from bed
i said
" can’t go to school because I feel a little blue
My brother stuck my hands together with supper glue"

Oh!The first day of school
My mother shakes me up from bed
i said
"I can’t go to school because I’m afraid
On my way there I might get run over by a huge parade"

Oh!The first day of school
My mother shakes me up from bed
i said
"I can’t go to school because I woke up late
I broke my leg while learning how to skate"


Oh!I wonder would excuses i will have tomorrow
Maybe it 's
I have caught a flu

Favourite character in village by the sea

Sry for the late blog prompt forgot abt it...
My favorite character is Lila not only is she independant but she also did not run away from problems. Unlike Hari who ran away insight of problem Lila stayed behind to take care of her parents and sibling which is truly great

Favourite poet

"Poetry should please by a fine excess and not by singularity. It should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost as a remembrance."
Quoted from John Keats. I truly agree that poets must be short and concise, only then the reader will truly enjoy it and think about it and remember it. John Keats was a truly remarkable man. His father died when he was 8 and his mother died when he was 14 but still he completed his education. At a tender age of 21 he gave up all he had and started to write poets. He only had 6 years before his death to complete all of his greatest works. To be able to complete so much is amazing feat. Despite his sad life, he continued to write romantic poems.He is truly a optimistic man. Towards the end of his life, i realized that he started to write more pessimistic poems ." And seal the hushèd casket of my soul. " quoted from his poem 'To Sleep'. This most probably signifies his pain and agony and wanted to die a painless death. i believe that his brother death was also another fact to the change in style of his poems


Keats was born in London in 1795, his father Thomas Keats a livery stable keeper, died in an accident when John was eight years old, and his mother died when he was 14. John Keats was appointed a guardian and kept at school for a further year, after which he was apprenticed to an Apothecary Surgeon for five years. On finishing his apprenticeship and reaching the age of 20 he was entered into Guy's Hospital as a Medical Student. Once he became certified to practice medicine, he did so for less than a year turning all his attention towards Poetry. Unfortunately this great poet only had five years in which to write some of the poems the world has ever seen. When John found out that his brother Tom had tuberculosis he went to him in order to nurse him putting his medical skills to use. Tom died in December 1817 and unknown to John he had caught the disease from his brother. Soon after his brothers death, John Keats became engaged to Fanny Brawne and for the next year he produced the greatest of his works. John began to suspect he had caught his brothers tuberculosis, and in February 1820 he suffered his first haemorrhage, his doctor advised him that to spend the winter in England would surely kill him. Keats borrowed what money he could and travelled to Italy where he died of a haemorrhage the following February while in Rome.

The three poems
http://www.poetry-archive.com/k/to_sleep.html
http://www.poetry-archive.com/k/to_autumn.html
http://www.poetry-archive.com/k/la_belle_dame_sans_merci.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keats

E-learning (poem)

Alone


Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

There are some millionaires
With money they can't use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They've got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Now if you listen closely
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is going to blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
'Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Maya Angelou

1. How are the figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is and why the poet chose to use this figurative language?

2. Tell us why you like this poem in no less than 100 words.
1. The examples of Metaphor in the first paragraph is
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I believe they are Metaphors because water is unrelated to thirsty(water does not make one more thirsty ) and stone is unrelated is bread(bread is edible while stone is not) I think the use of these Metaphors is to show the loneliness of the poet.
A example of a hyperbole in the poem is
"but nobody
Can make it out here alone"
This sentence is show repeatedly at the end of each paragraph and it empathizes that the author is very lonely 'all out there alone'


In the third paragraph,the sentence

"There are some millionaires
With money they can't use" is a Symbol
The authors means that these rich people are not charitable only spending money money for themselves not helping other ppl
"Their wives run round like banshees" is a Simile
"To cure their hearts of stone." is a Hyperbole as this sentence is the exaggeration of the rich people who are heartless


In the second last paragraph, the sentence
"Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is going to blow" is a symbol which means something bad is happening
"The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan," is a hyperbole explaining the above symbol.



The poet used this figurative languages most probably because she was denied help from a rich person and felt that the world no longer has any compassion



2. I like this peom alot because it contains the author 's true thoughts after leaving home and no one helped her. Although the race of man is suffering may same unreal, it is actually highlighting a real and serious problem. Nowadays, its is hard to find someone who is rich but not stingy. Most of them will look down on other people not less help them. This poem also contains alot of well thought up figurative languages and they fit in real nicely.

Overall, this poem not only catches my attention but also has a true meaning behind it.(we should be more passionate)

Which part of Village by the Sea do you like best?

Of course, i like the fairy tale like ending the best where Hari is reunited with his family and that his father had kicked his drinking habit. It just warms my heart to see Hari 's sisters receiving the presents and the joy on their face. His father effort to kick his drinking habit(which is very hard to do) is truly remarkable. Also, the De Silva helpfulness in helping them in terms of monetary needs and sending their mother to the hospital proves to us that not all rich people are stingy but are actually very helpful. I would have thought that the rich and so called upper class of Bombay would not have this kind of compassion and would look down on the lower class people living in slums. Instead, they offered him a job and FOC medical supplies and services.The ending is truly heartwarming

Is progress benifical for the society

Of course progress is benifical to the society but it must not be done at the expense of other thinks such as family upbringing and enviroment. For example what is the point of progress if people do not pay attention to other things such as global warming. For progess, other things should not be

I rather be the city rat than the country rat

Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking. "What is that?" said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of the house," answered the other. "Only!" said the Country Mouse. "I do not like that music at my dinner." Just at that moment the door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other. "Yes," he replied;

"Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."

- quoted from http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Town_Mouse_and_the_Country_Mouse

This is a old childhood story which depicts the advantage and disadvantage of being a country rat and similarly the advantages and disadvantages of being a city rat. Although this story is about rats and not humans, the advantages and disadvantages are the same. Would i rather choose to a country rat where the pace of life is slower and led a carefree and relax life but unable to enjoy the technology or delicious food of the city or would i be a city rat and led a busy and worried life but be taken aback by the convenient modern society and indulge in handheld game consoles and other technology.

Personally i would rather choose to be a country rat. Imagine living a life where
you can take life slowly as there is nobody to hurry or push you. You can lie on the beach and watch the sunset or take a morning stroll. Although there is no technology, there are other forms of entertainment. I would not give up this carefree life to live in the city. Although there are computers and many convenient forms of transport, there is a darker side to living in the city,such as, inflexible work hours, piles and piles of work and the stress of education.

In conclusion i would rather be a country rat than a city rat