In a hospital

Enter a hospital and a cacophony
of sounds assails,
From a nurse’s quick ‘sh’ to a newborn
baby’s wail.

Brr - is when a new mum lies cold in the
operating room and also of a dentist’s drill,

Pit-a-pat of the heart when a doctor takes
your pulse and the rain on the window sill,

Tick tock is heard from the clock in the hall
and the strident stiletto heels of a visitor,

Whee - the sound of the ambulance siren and a
young girl when discharged by her doctor,

Aah - say the proud grandparents at babe’s wide
yawn and you at the prick of the needle,

Aargh - dad jerks in revulsion as he changes dirty
diapers and so do I at the bill from the hospital,
 
Wheeze - is the chain-smoker’s regret, an asthmatic’s
breath and an overloaded hydraulic machine,

Hmm, the doctor looks distracted at a patient’s chart,
and that's my relieved sigh as I leave with a grin.



Image: Naypong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Oh Dad

My Dad
Born in 1919, dad was in harmony with us
during the flower power of the 60’s
played the harmonica to N K Cole's songs
and strummed the guitar like Elvis
but he didn't find the Beatles endearing
thought they were rather noisy
a friend lent him a projector to play reels
of films for us weekly.



Elvis Presley
Nat King Cole
Leaving us at home he'd go with mum to
watch many a movie
he’d wake us with a plate of fried noodles
incredibly hot and steamy
seeing our woebegone faces he'd entertain
us with songs and melody
as we tapped our feet, mum and he would
dance in perfect symphony.
 

Singing lustily, 'What’s New Pussycat' with
a tiny towel tied low on his hips
he gyrated round mum with a feline look
and a smirk on his lips

while we sat on their bed watching the love
in his eyes gentle and caring
ours misted over with awe, sleep all gone

basking in his loving.

Every Sunday, wearing over-sized shoes I'd
trudge to church faithfully
as I passed dad’s workplace at four, he'd
be waiting for me
here’s 50 cents, he says, on your way back
buy a drink you’ll be thirsty
I took it every week not realizing he had
sacrificed his cup of tea.

 


He built a swing with ropes in our yard
under an umbrella tree
the neighbourhood gathered round and
watched, amazed at his dexterity
I know it will never fall, he declares, but
I’ll test it first for you to see
down came the swing, his sarong and all,
the womenfolk clapped with glee.

 







I noticed that after a year of being in and out
of hospital, his muscular body
that was once a mass of hope, courage, love,
faith, joy and safety
become skeletal, docs were stumped at the
cause of his misery

soon it was time for the angels to come and
give him tranquility.

Now, here he would have been a sprightly old
man in his late eighties
entertaining his grandchildren and all of them
vying to be on his knees
serenading them with lullabies and delighting
them with his stories
but for God’s will, it would have been a happy 
tale for his children’s families.






Wacky Weather

Hazardous, hateful, humid hellhole,
horrendous headache in the hypnotic heat,
hankering for heavenly, hospitable hideout,
as the sun’s rays beat
 

cool down with cold, creamy, chocolaty
cocktail, a captivating concoction,
and chew cheesy canapés, chicken coleslaw with crunchy, cubed crouton.

 


Cold, claustrophobic climate
Cloudy, choking condition

Cutting, crispy congealing chill, to escape from ice-and-snow situation
 

hit the hay with heavenly hotcakes,
hotdogs and honey with hazelnut blend,
huddle in heavy habiliment, by
a hot hearth and hardback in hand.

Image: glenorchyrotaryclub.org.au 
Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "WACKY WEATHER" by Jacinta Ramayah, Malaysia

In Memory of Dad

He was the anchor of my dreams,
He warmed my heart like sunlight beams,
He eased my sorrows with words soft and mild,
He was a true friend to a wandering child.

In times of distress he comforted me,
He wiped my tears, he took away my misery,
To me he was a shining knight,
A source of strength through a lonely night.

After twelve years of laughter he was taken away,
I cried, I pined for him many a day,
Now as I tread this path without him by my side,
His love and blessing will always be my guide.

So, dear dad, I need you to
help me live this life full of worth and value,
and when I meet you in heaven above,
we'll be together, forever, in a haven of love.


Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "IN MEMORY OF DAD" by Jacinta Ramayah, Malaysia

The Olympic Runner

The sun beat down so hard it burnt his back,
His feet ate the dust as he ran the endless track,
The wind gave him wings and the miles flew by,
He was gunning for gold, for victory he’d die.

Critics had a field day when he entered the arena,
They could have knocked him down with a feather,
“Sideways you can’t see him through a 50-cent coin,
Bones on a cold carcass make up his manly loin.”

“His feet so long he will surely fall flat on his face,
Legs stretch down like two bamboo poles in place,
From the land of famine he gets not his daily bread,
If he wins, we’ll eat our hats,” in mockery they said.

As he touched the finish line, the crowd went wild,
Cheers heard across the land by every man and child,
His heartbeats so erratic they were beating out of time
If he could take a shot at his critics it’d be no crime.

Sweat streamed down, pooled like rivulets on the floor,
A warrior back from the battlefield, battered and sore,
Standing tall as a Brobdingnagian, the anthem sung
The joy so sweet, he could taste it on his tongue.

He was so tired he felt he could sleep for a year
The cynics struck dumb, had no cause to jeer,
‘A man in a million’ was the headlines that day
“Not a mere man but a giant in spirit,” they say.



(Hyperbole - figures of speech that are entirely exaggerated in order to make a point.)
Brobdingnagian – giants in Gulliver’s Travels.
The Lilliputians are short.



Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "THE OLYMPIC RUNNER (hyperbole)" by Jacinta Ramayah, Malaysia

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Onomatopoeia in School?

Wardens whistle
rapping rules,
sniffling scholars
start school.

Plastic pops
students shushed,
teachers thwack
tables thud.

Time tick-tocks
bell brrings,
canteen clamour
coins clink.

Cups clatter,
crackers crunched,
saucers smashed
muffins munched

Boys burp
girls giggle,
grandfathers guffaw
children chuckle.

Squelchy shoes
squeaky sneakers,
sports-master snaps
mum mutters.

Bell buzzes
chairs crash,
pupils push
crowd-clash.

Horns honk,
chaotic clutter,
principal plonks
trainees titter.




Animal Antics Alphabetically

Antelopes are amiable animals,
Buffaloes, bullish, butting boors,
Cougars creep craftily up crags,
Ducks dip delightfully in ditches.

Exotic eagles espy earthy eelworms,
Fierce falcons feast on fishes,
Goats greedily gobble green grass,
Hares hop happily near hedges.

Iguanas inhabit inhospitable islands,
Jaybirds jabber jauntily,
Kangaroos knee you with knockout kicks
Llamas lug large loads lithely.



Monkeys are munching, muttering mimickers,
Nightingales and nightjars, nocturnal nesters,
Oxen overloaded, overworked owsen
Parrots prettily parody persons.

Quixotic quails quiver quietly,
Robin red-breasts are restful roosters,
Stallions, stunning speeding steeds,
Tawny tigers are terrifying treaders.

Unique unicorns are unavailable now,
Vicious vultures are virtually vile,
Whales wallow in warm waters
Xeruses are xeric squirrels of Africa's wild.

Young yaks yare on mountains yonder
Zany zebras zip past zephyrs.




Animals are beautiful creatures of the earth
And humans be their kind masters.




Soccer Fever


When God deigns to watch soccer
He sits on the fence,
While you clasp your palms in prayer
He looks askance.

The referee mouths his whistle
He rules the verdict on the field,
While the player, in despair, knows
To his card, he has to yield.

The spectators scream in frenzy,
And the fans ape their heroes
While the arena is ablaze
With a kaleidoscope of painted faces.

Cries of 'goal' fill the air,
It's a month of living soccer,
While the winners hold the Cup high,
The losers gasp in disbelief and horror.

Four years of waiting has to pass,
For soccer season to come round again,
While the players run and sweat
Both punter and bookie hope to make a gain.



Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "SOCCER FEVER" by Jacinta Ramayah, Malaysia


Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image: pixtawan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unforgivable Unkindness





Valiant Voyagers (alliteration)

Venturing out in vessels from the
Vikings to Victorian times
Vigilantes with valour and vision
and of vengeance and vice.
The likes of Vasco da Gama and
Vespucci and Vadino Vivaldi,
From Venice to Venezuela,
of viceroys and victory.

Through oceans and variables vicious
the vast world their home
No valuables or valise to vex them
thro’ vales and valleys they roam.
From villages to veld they visit
being valorous and versatile,
A vagrant of sorts, a vagabond
sometimes vicious and vile.




Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "THE VALIANT VOYAGERS (alliteration)" by Jacinta Ramayah, Malaysia


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