Hang Tuah, Malacca's Warrior (Legend)

Hang Tuah was a courageous warrior in Malacca town,
With four fierce warrior friends, he made it world-renown. 
Pirates who plied the straits, bringing terror to sailing vessels
Were cut down by the rapier keris of Malacca’s five vassals.

So Malacca reigned in the 15th Century with no fear of threat,
Wealth from spices, gold and tin - who could surpass that?

"ships", "ancient ships", "sailing vessels"

Tuah, Jebat, Lekiu, Lekir and Kasturi – skilled in self-defence,
It was Hang Tuah they chose, to lead them in combating stance,  
Though Hang Jebat equalled Hang Tuah in strength and valour,
He gave in to him for he loved him like his own blood-brother.

Malacca watched her five loyal sons fighting evil and strife
With their courage and truth, it was they who gave her life.

"battle", "silat"
Image courtesy of Jennifer Ellison / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Sultan lorded over the people with grand splendour,
The prime minister oversaw peace with dignified grandeur,
The country was in good hands they knew, who’d dare attack,
Business a-flourishing, no thievery, no gang-fights, no slack.

So Malacca, at its zenith of power, blossomed in great form,
Little realizing its tranquility was like calm before a storm.

"sea", "sailing vessels", "vessels", "sailing", "village"

Then one day it happened, Hang Tuah provoked the Sultan’s ire,
“Off with his head”, the king commanded to his prime minister, 
who trembled with foreboding horror, as he had news of an enemy 
waiting with guns and cannons, along the Malaccan sea. 

Malacca mourned, as her child was sent off to be sentenced,
For love of his homeland, in truth and courage he had spoken.

Image : http://www.deviantart.com/

Hang Jebat ran amok; he attacked the palace in angry desperation,
No warrior could fight him; he slashed away their life in aggression,
“If only Hang Tuah is still alive”, cried the frightened Sultan,
“He could have prevented the carnage, the deaths and devastation”. 

Malacca cried, her soul wrenched apart, her strength slowly ebbing,
Two of her greatest warriors down, her weary heart a-bleeding.
Image : http://kay-nua.deviantart.com/

The minister then disclosed a secret, Hang Tuah he did not kill,
He was hidden in a cave, honing his silat, a self-defence skill.
Hang Tuah appeared before the king, prepared to fight with honour,
While Hang Jebat gazed at his friend with happiness and wonder.

It was a sad day indeed for Malacca to see her children in combat,
Both weary, one was going down, as his strength began to ebb.

"silat", "fight", "martial arts"
Image : http://1x.com/photos/

As Hang Jebat’s breathing waned, he could not understand why.
He had done all to avenge his friend who'd been condemned to die,
With tears in his eyes, Hang Tuah held Hang Jebat’s hand,
“My loyalty is first to king,” he said, “then only to family and friend”. 

Thus, when friend vanquishes friend, through pain of death, 
A kingdom loses its will to survive, it takes its last breath.

"Hang Tuah Mural"
A bronze mural of Hang Tuah exhibited at the National History Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/


6 Sept 2008


Lack of Human Values (Haiku)

"Army", "war"
Killing fields of mines
tanks rattle in firing lines
innocent lives die.

Suicide bombers’ spree
maimed bodies thrown far and free
for merit from high.

Bludgeoned from behind
robbed raped or maimed, deeds unkind 
fatal victims lie.
"Stop abuse", "Child abuse", "beat"
An action so gross
a child misused by vile force
no-one hears his cry.
 

 26 Aug 2010


Haiku - three-line poem (5, 7, 5 syllables). Non-rhymed.

Image courtesy of Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Human Values (Haiku)

"Donate", "Donating", "Helping Hand", "helping"
Bestowed from above
philanthropists give with love
to those who have not.

With free will they rend
time, kindness and helping hand
volunteers unbought.

"Jailed", "Jail", "Prison", "Locked up", His home a prison
apartheid-free his vision
his strength of will sought.

His own life a bet
for country he faces death
a mere soldier’s lot.

4 Apr 2010

Haiku - three-line poem (5, 7, 5 syllables). 
Non-rhymed.


Image courtesy of njaj / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of sakhorn38 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 


A Mistaken Catch (Loop)

Eons ago beneath the waves of a bright blue sea,
Seaweeds floated green; pretty mermaids swam by,
By the rocks in a cave, two black eyes watched silently,
Silently nearby, the mermaids wiped their gold tresses dry.



Dry were the dark stranger’s lips as he cast out,
Out from his hands, a fishing net he suddenly threw,
Threw it over a sweet mermaid who gave a startled shout,
Shouts of triumph were his though, as with his catch he flew.


"wallpaper", "Night scene" "Lighthouse on Cliff", "Cliff", "Dark Cliff"

Flew up the steps of a tall grey tower way up high,
High on the cliff to where his lonely lighthouse stood,
Stood over his prize as numb she lay, then he told her why
Why he had taken a mermaid; why in the sea he had looked.


"Glitter Mermaid", "Animated Mermaid"
Image : http://www.glitter-graphics.com
Looked for one to talk with; who couldn’t tear away, 
Away from him, the way his wife had done years before, 
Before, he had erred for she did run away, but not so today,
Today he errs for mermaids stay silent when far from the shore. 



10 April 2008


The Story of Mahsuri (Legend)

"beautiful island" "island" "green island" "eagle flying over island" "sea and island" "sea" "beautiful sea scene"

The island lay jewel-green in the deep tropical sea,
The eagles came to nest on the hills above the valley.

In a village, where thatched roofs faced the open sky,
springs gushed free and well-waters were never dry,
Mahsuri lived in this land where beautiful eagles flew,
On Langkawi Island, where casuarina trees grew.



"Countryside", "Country", "Kampung"


The eagles, they spread their wings, reigning free,
The people below watched, with joyous simplicity.

A maiden so fair, she took your very breath away,
Many a warrior would have braved a tiger, to slay,
Betrothed to a fearless headman whom she did adore,
Alas! He was sent off to Siam to win his king a war.

The eagles above screamed aloud in screeching discord,
They tried to warn of treachery, of a blood-red sword,

Mahsuri was left alone, to await her hero’s return,
He had promised her his eternal love and protection.
A minstrel strolled by the village, his voice full of emotion,
He sang of man’s heroic deeds, she stayed behind to listen.

The eagles watched from the hills, the scene below,
Of impending disaster, their instincts told them so.

A kinswoman found Mahsuri’s beauty a massive threat,
which would end, she knew, with this maiden’s death.
Summoning the elders, she announced the heinous crime,
Proof of Mahsuri’s infidelity, was her lost track of time. 

"Fire", "Smoke", "Field", "Smoky field"

The ’langs saw burning fields and impending woe,
They needed to flee from the island, they had to go.

Mahsuri and her lover were dragged to a public square,
Bound, and accused of a union they didn’t share.
She declared her innocence, but no-one heard her cries,
The swordsman, he, nonchalantly sharpened his knives.

No-one knows what happened to the eagles that day,
The helangs started to leave their nest, to fly away.

As the keris plunged in, Mahsuri cursed in hopeless anger,
“This land will rot and burn for seven generations or forever”,
As blood gushed out, it shocked the onlookers at the site,
As proof of her innocence, it spurt out pure-white.

As she breathed her last, the lone eagle screamed up high,
No birds could be seen flying above, in the blood-red sky.

The land was strewn with horrific wars, strife and decay,
Rice fields and beaches were left to burn, the enemy to delay.
For seven generations, gloom settled on the eagles’ land,
sea waters remained clear, no footprints on the black sand.

These were bad times for the people there, sad to say
The helangs disappeared, they continued to stay away.

"Tractor on Field", "Meadow", "Lush fields"

Seven generations have passed, Langkawi is coming alive,
Machines grind on the hills, the land is starting to thrive,
Beaches are criss-crossed with footprints of smiling people,
Stalls and malls side by side, shopping made simple.

"Eagle flying", "The eagle has landed"Good times have come to this land, glad to say
The eagles are returning to the island, to stay.

30 July 2008