Extra Credit

Her Ramblings…

Behold the radiance from the mighty sun! Feel the zephyr brushing against your body, and then listen carefully for the message it brings in its whispers. Ho! The waves of Ibiza are approaching your way from a distance, and it sings a song so mellifluous and so lyrical at the same time that you can’t help but heed the words uttered by each splash and thump your feet to follow its rhythm. And it sings: Liiistennn tooo whaaat I haaave tooo saaa– kringgggg, kringggggggggg, KRINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Good grief! Now you are telling me that it was all a dream? Reality is such a nightmare, I thought. So I went back to sleep again for some time when I realized that it’s a Monday! Then I quickly got off from my messy bed and brushed my teeth so hastily that I still had a lump of white foam sticking onto my peppermint-scented lips when I jumped into the shower. After grooming myself for what seemed like forever, I munched the last two pieces of bagels on the kitchen shelf and gulped my now half-empty chocolate-flavored soymilk, then hie me to the front door before I miss the 9:00 AM bus.

What a luck, I gasped. My speed proved to be worthless. The moment I caught my last breath was the moment the bus rode off from the bus stop. Sigh, how could I forget that it’s a Monday? Now I have to sacrifice some my points for the next assignment, just for being late! So then I tapped my feet impatiently while thinking I had to waste half an hour of my day just to wait for the next bus. Hold on. On second thought, no, I decided to make effective use of the time to continue reading Totto-chan: the Little Girl at the Window, the best-selling novel by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. That way, I would feel like time was flying.

Soon I was so immersed in Totto-chan’s tale that I didn’t realize the bus was waiting for me to hop in. I closed the book and got into the bus, feeling a little relaxed then after the rush earlier that morning.
“Next stop, Purdue Memorial Union.” I quickly got off the bus and ran towards Hovde Hall, the building where I have my College English Composition class for that semester (Spring 2007). That was my earliest morning class, and also the class that I was late for.

Nevertheless, it’s always better late than never. On that day, my generous instructor, Tom Glass, informed us about the extra credits he was willing to give for the class. Although I realized that I had been doing well so far throughout the semester, I still had the urge to write in every opportunity I could have. And so here I am, sitting in front of my Sony VAIO laptop, typing out my reflections of how I’ve done so far for this class while sipping a cup of hot latte. As I am pondering about the five assignments I had done, I come up with the decision to emphasize on the different and similar attitudes that I had to face these assignments.

The first assignment, Writer’s Autobiography, was basically a review of my life as a writer. I was to narrate the story of my development in writing ever since I got to know the alphabets. At the beginning, I briefly described my pre-teenage years when I used to write my personal problems and contemplations into my first journals. This was actually the underlying significance of my life as a writer. It not only cultivated my interest in writing today, but as I grow older, it also triggered me to stop myself from being narrow-minded and expand my thoughts to those topics that have a larger sphere, such as science and politics. Consequently in the field of art, the more an artist receives critiques and suggestions for their artworks, the more he or she will learn from their mistakes and improve in the future. However, to me, becoming a true artist takes more than manifesting your ideas successfully through visual means. I challenged myself to express my ideas verbally as effectively as I draw. Over the years I write more and more, and my sore hands were soon replaced by my energetic fingers that type like a robot on computers. Since then, I have always taken the advantage of my freedom of speech on the Internet, specifically to blog, up till today.

Just as how the first assignment has given me the opportunity to express a huge part of myself, the following assignments, too, has enabled me to write in my very own unique style, except that this time I had a lot more freedom. The assignments that were given since then until the end of the semester were part of a sequenced writing project, of which I would write about one topic that I’m interested in and would like to find out more about it. Since I was given that much freedom, I, without any hesitation, took the chance to write about what every woman loves: Women’s shopping.

The first part of this project was about my personal experience with shopping, when I spent a total of US$600.00 during the first three months I came to America for college. Then I had to interview my mother to ask for information about organizing a proper financial life, which was relevant, especially after the bad experience I described in the preceding assignment. Although the interview have helped me more than enough in changing my shopaholic habits in the future, I still had to do a literature review, where I did my research about how shopping addiction works and ways to control them. In the process, I think that it was fun to know the differences between shopping habits of men and women, especially when I found out that men buy what they are looking for, and women buy what they are looking at, and then ending up buying too many unnecessary items that they later regret. These three leading assignments turned out to be very helpful later on when I was working with my argumentative essay, of which I stood for the opinion: Shopaholics should record monthly transactions of their expenses in shopping for clothes and accessories. This time, I had to add a paragraph of audience analysis that turned out to help a lot in guiding the tone of my essay.

Just by seeing how distinct each assignment from one to another, there is no doubt that I definitely had more or less different attitudes when facing these assignments. One thing that I have practiced throughout the semester was to insert my personality into each of the assignments. Personally, I enjoyed working on the interview report most, as I was allowed to not only exhibit my own shopping habits, and therefore, my personality in the paper, I could also include a brief story of my family, especially my mother. I feel very excited when I can tell stories about the things I love, which includes shopping. But I became more enthusiastic when I can talk about shopping and also about the people I love together. I figured that when we write about what we love the most, it would give extra meaning (…and extra points too! For your information, I’ve got the highest point for this paper) to the essay, just like a love letter.

However, whenever there’s love there’s always hatred. I didn’t hate doing the literature review assignment, but I dislike the idea of summarizing. Although the assignment was pretty straightforward to me, I think that the result was boring. When summarizing, we were supposed to make a paragraph of the important points from an article, so we had to omit the details. To me, the details given in an essay give the most significance to the writing. Without giving specific examples for the reader, he or she would not fully understand our ideas. This is actually why I have always written papers which are longer than the length assigned, just like the one I am writing now. On the contrary, not many people would like to read a long paper just to get an idea, unless they are willing to find out more about what they are looking for and therefore, are willing to read the details of the essay. From my experience in writing a literature review in this class, I now notice the importance of writing a summary.

Now that I’ve talked about my reflections for this class, the attitudes I had when facing the assignments, and also brief opinions about them, I would probably go wash my tea cup and hope to get an A, and then get ready to sleep. Who knows I can go back to Ibiza island to listen to the whispers of the wind and to hear the songs of the waves, tuning up the hymns from Café Del Mar. Ahhh… paraíso! (and let’s hope I will never be late for class again!)

Sequenced Writing: Interview Report

Mother’s Words of Wisdom in Shopping

“Mom, I need your credit card information to pay for my new contact lenses. Please reply me ASAP.” A few seconds after I select the button “Send Message” on my mobile phone, my home telephone rang. My initial reaction was: Whoa, since she’s the one who made the call, then I won’t have to pay the phone bill for this session! Considering the “free” long-distance phone call, I decided to take advantage of her time and come up with some questions I have to ask her for my interview report assignment in my writing class.

“Are you fine, darling? Have you eaten your dinner? Here’s the information you asked for. By the way, I just bought Louis Vuitton’s latest Damier Canvas handbag! What do you think?” It’s obvious why I chose her as my interviewee just by listening to her first sentences on the phone. Mariaty Ng is a parent whose job is to control all of the financial aspects in her children’s lives. She’s also a woman who has spent 23 years of her married life learning how to resist her shopaholistic temptations upon receiving a monthly paycheck from her husband. Most importantly, she’s also a shopaholic herself who adores fashion, but knows how to manage her financial plans as a shopper, as a parent, and as a housewife. But the question is, how did she learn to balance her expenditures and savings at the same time while upholding both her responsibilities and her personal desires? Since the greatest lessons we learn in life are mostly based on personal experiences that we encounter through time, I asked her to flash a little blast from the past in chronological order: Before marriage, before children, and after children.

Before marrying father, mother was a very timid teenager. She had a very restricted life back then because my grandmother was overprotective. Mom wasn’t very happy with her monochrome life as a teenager – colorless in such a way that she never got the chance to be given what she truly wants versus her needs. During those times, mother resisted her inner desires by confining herself to achieving good grades, eating proper meals, and getting enough rest – basically doing what was needed to be done, only to satisfy her mother. So whenever she went to shop for clothes, the reasons were simply because the old ones were torn or because she gained weight. She listened obediently to her mother when she said “If you don’t need it, don’t buy it”, but grandma never knew that she dreamed of marrying someone soon to escape from her “prison.”

It was after my parents got married that all mother could see was the real world outside of her tiny bubble. The marriage was her dream that came true, because father was the one who went to her rescue from prison, and also happened to be someone who came from a wealthy family. For the first time in her life, she was given the freedom to buy whatever she wants. Although she was finally given the privilege to spend her money in any way she wanted, she never left behind the “don’t need, don’t buy” idea from her mother whenever she went for a shopping spree. The idea left permanent footprints throughout the rest of my mother’s life, and it would largely affect how she manages her money from then on. Whenever she’s shopping, this idea would cross her mind and make her either reconsider buying the item, or, if she liked the item, she would compare the same item with many different stores just to pay for the lowest price possible.

It didn’t take more than a year until my elder brother was born. The thought of my father providing full financial support for starting a family also came to mind, especially when father and mother decided to have only three children, of which, by the way, I was the youngest and also the only daughter. Ever since she became a mother, she has always held the responsibility to prevent herself from blundering parenting needs with her personal happiness. Children’s needs became the first priority ahead of everything else, so there was a decrease in the amount of expenditures on clothes, handbags and shoes as to her year of honeymoon .

As we can see from these experiences mother had been through in the separated timelines of her life, the foundation of her present shopping habit came from grandma’s idea of “don’t need, don’t buy.” The question now is, how does she actually apply all the things she has learned into her shopper’s life today?

What I’ve noticed over the years is that she keeps each of us children a journal containing records about the expensive Chinese herbs and other essential food supplements we’ve consumed each month, since her children’s health is on top of her priority list in parenting. As for our allowance, father is the one responsible for handing 25 USD to each of us every week. Mother also fixed a specific amount of wages for each of our housemaids per week and also a number of 1,000,000,000 Rupiah (approximately 10,990 USD) as the maximum amount of money she can spend for her personal shopping activities within two months. Since that maximum number was pretty huge, she kept another notebook for herself to record every major expense she made, such as Louis Vuitton’s Damier Canvas handbag, which costs up to 1,030 USD. This was done to keep track of her own transactions so that she won’t faint at the end of the year when she reads her annual credit card billing information from the bank. Thankfully, she only buys expensive goods once in every two months, because the larger sum of money was meant to be spent on weekly grocery shopping. Now the question is, what are the things she considers before buying an item?

Let me give you an example of how shopping works for her when deciding whether or not I should buy my contact lenses. Colored toric lenses are specially made according to your doctor’s prescription if you have done an eye checkup recently, which is why they are very expensive. You can no longer find colored toric lenses in Indonesia, as the optical services have stopped ordering for imports of this product. For this reason, my mom suggested me to buy this type of lenses while I am in America, no matter how much it costs. She wouldn’t mind if it was so expensive that she had to sacrifice her personal shopping days. Like I said, her children’s needs are above everything else.

Although to some people toric lenses don't have to be colored, having the color itself is just for the sake of fashion. However, toric lenses that are tailored to the degrees of your eyes are a must to enhance your vision. Besides needing the item, fashion is also in the wish-list. So in this case, mother has no problems at all in handing over a huge sum of money in return for the many advantages. That was how she had suggested colored toric lenses over normal toric lenses for me.

“…So the important thing is for you to think carefully whether something is worth buying or not; are you going to use it often? Is it durable enough for you to use it longer? More importantly: DO YOU LIKE IT?” Of course she doesn’t want to be like grandma who wanted her daughter to find only what she needs, without listening to the deepest desires within her daughter’s heart. She understood how I want to make shopping an activity that I can enjoy as much as possible, and also came up with a system of managing her finance to provide basic family and housing maintenance. Even though she is not responsible for her children’s weekly allowance, as a mother she has to teach us how to shop sensibly and why should we do so. Otherwise, she might really faint at the end of the year and we would have to ask dad for help. Nevertheless, mother’s belief in buying only what I need, but also what I like, is what truly makes shopping not only useful, but also enjoyable.

97/100

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Stacia,

Your paper is not only entertaining and informative, but it also reveals quite a bit about your mother’s life and her values. Great paper! My only question when I finished reading it was this: Do your brothers have the same kind of shopaholic tendencies as you?

Perspectives

These are only sketches for myself to understand the concept of linear perspectives. At first during the lecture in class, I really don't understand how to look at something from one-point or two-point perspectives. How can you ask me to look at something from a three-point perspective? (Bird's and worm's eye views) After making these sketches I finally understand how to spot vanishing points. You know how women just can't think 3-Dimensionally.

Three ISN'T a Crowd

Still-Life of grapes, an apple, and bananas.
See how they look good together?
That's why being a threesome is never too crowdy.

Summer Sky

Plivitce Park

Waterfalls at Plivitce Park, Croatia.

Pinecone

It's a sketch, it's gestural. It's not a the real work you put all your effort in, it's just a rough sketch coming from the hands of a vague mind.

It Has Just Begun

The journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step, and it has only just begun.

Original photo.

Extraordinary

If only I know how to duplicate this image and make it digital. It could have been better.

Personal Statement

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray… – We didn’t start the fire, but somehow the lyrics ignited me to thump my feet on the parquet floor relentlessly, following its rhythm. Nevertheless, Joel’s beat didn’t tag along my pace any longer as soon as I advanced upon the threshold into the Grande Galerie of Musée du Louvre. I decelerated to marvel at the exquisite design of the corridor that lay before me, in which, on either side of the walls, there arrayed some of the most remarkable works of the preceding generations. The walls, floor, and ceiling were constructed with flawless precision. All these can only be done through excellent artistry and craftsmenship, I thought. Maybe this field trip isn’t that bad at all, as suggested by the Art Department. I was quickly aroused by the idea, and so I stepped forth, ready to browse the art galore while still humming Joel’s catchy tune in gay... South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio!

In the midst of all adornments, there was one painting that grabbed my attention. It’s the most famous painting in history and was done by the most renowned artist of all times – It’s the Mona Lisa. I studied her with composure, calmed just by noticing her enigmatic smile. It wasn’t the most mystifying feature though. Wondering what could make her so intricate, I tried to be experimental – I moved to the left, and then shifted to the right while gazing at her face; I squatted down, and then rose up, still gazing at her face. Then it hit me: It’s her eyes! They darted from one corner to the other, following each of my directions. Learning this wasn’t enough for me. I placed my palm on the protective glass to conceal her right eye, assuming that might explain why her eyes bore life. Negative – Instead, I was astonished to see a masculine countenance! Even so, I did the same with her left eye, only to find her feminine features back again. That was amazing! I had just discovered why the pop culture regards her as androgynous; then again maybe it was just my imagination. When I was about to verify my discoveries, whom should I find eyeing me at a distance while mumbling something that lets my mind wandering elsewhere but two gabby girls I reckoned from my school. “Isn’t that the girl who drew the still life drawing for the guest who visited Broadrick on Thanksgivings? I heard she’s a dear to Madam Amnah!” one of them murmured as both were walking past me. How true.

During my first year in junior high school, I volunteered to draw a flower arrangement as a token of appreciation to the guest-of-honor for paying a visit to my school. At that time I was interested in abstract art, specifically the various ways I could combine different colors, shapes and sizes to give a touch of life on canvas. Our class was due for a session on this topic in the coming semester. But considering my enthusiasm in learning, Madam Amnah offered to spare some time of her busy schedule to deliver a brief lecture about the fundamentals of abstract art and lent me a handful of flower catalogues for references. I was not the only one who was thrilled to bring about my new project; Madam Amnah was glad too to have a student taking the initiative and truly eager to learn and thence did not hesitate to disseminate her knowledge to me through her courtesy.

I incorporated the skills acquired from Madam Amnah with my observant nature to produce the masterpiece. First, I broadened my mind to unleash distinctive views, of which I discarded the norms and reviewed the eccentricities to pick out an interesting outlook of the Sunflowers, Delphiniums, Lilacs, Daylilies, and Gladiolus. In the process, I observed each structure of the petals, stalks and leaves from a deviating angle, just like how I discovered the living eyes of Mona Lisa. I uncovered each shade that were hidden and shielded each hue that were too vibrant, just like how I noticed Mona Lisa's androgyny. Eventually, the piece was finished within just three days. I couldn’t be more pleased with the result and felt triumphed when Madam Amnah proved her pride of me by holding an exhibition of my class works in the school for a month. This has yet proven that I was fast to grasp the concept of abstract art. Just the thought of it made me feel victorious, even though there weren’t any prizes rewarded to me. There was though; the guest was overwhelmed with gratitude upon receiving the piece, and this has led to Madam Amnah acknowledging me to have completed one full semester of courses on abstracts – in just 3 days!

Einstein, James Dean… Elvis Presley, Disneyland – Satisfied with the last hint of Mona Lisa’s delicate smile, I left the portrait and finish my notes about it on my collection of the most admirable characters of all times. Upon mopping up the final sentences, I was about to close the book when I found the presence of the same elegant beauty of another character on the opposite page: Jane Eyre.

Jane was the character that influenced me to set a new paradigm for my life and impelled me to think like a woman. Her idea of women's stagnancy to constrain themselves to do and learn only what their custom has pronounced necessary inspired me to do and learn more than a girl needs, that is to make things happen instead of just dreaming. Women feel just as men feel, and I feel that there is no right for people to condemn women who yearn for more than just being a housewife. This explains why I hold a relish for reading. Books are adventuresome, because they provide vast knowledge beyond imagination. It gives me the pleasure to monitor a character's actions that cause a series of events, for there is always a lesson behind them.

As from Charlotte Brontë's novel, I perceived an image of the class conflicts in the olden days, yet the days have changed. Today, people no longer discriminate the roles of men and women. We exploit differences among us to achieve the greatest possible advantage, as I’ve experienced. I’m an Indonesian-born Chinese who has a great interest in the culture of Japan and had underwent cultural differences while I was in Singapore. But I had never experienced working together with the Westerners, and when now I get the chance to, I’ll bring this thrill of encountering cultural differences into America. I see everyone equally, just like through Jane’s eyes where women are of no difference with men.

Fiction or non-fiction, there will always be sources of inspiration for all of us. I closed my book after spending the minute mulling over Brontë's character in awe. I peered at the hidden eyes staring back at me behind a mask. On the front cover of my book there depicted another character worthy of reverence. He might not appeal much if you regard him as a childhood companion, but to me, Spider-Man is more than just a crawling superhero. I recognized the same spirit in him when confronting overwhelming obstacles. Each time, I recall his refusal to quit and his humility after a victory, and also sensed the responsibility in order not to blunder the duties I hold with my personal happiness. Only through enduring with this determination that I have imbibed comprehensive knowledge along the way that aided me to surmount those obstacles, as learning is not only about memorizing word for word from the materials given in school. In this way, I have not much difficulty overcoming all sorts of problems anymore. I am certain that this perspective will help me conquer adversity I will encounter later in life, especially if I behave in a responsible manner.

Pope Paul, Malcolm X, JFK, blown away – Not to forget John Fitzgerald Kennedy who made me feel obliged for having the chance to receive education when he let me think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation. It’s because of school that I have discovered my potentials, and utilize the new knowledge disseminated to enhance these capabilities into talents that might contribute the school itself or even the society. I have been educated in different environments, of which I’ve seen various achievements attained by talented people and have developed discernments. This fosters rationality to appreciate the diversity of human capabilities, and promoted many other areas of studies I’m enticed to learn. Since my areas of strength are related to expressing creativity, I was willing to study many languages so that I could verbalize ideas at ease, as scribbling journal notes, posting blog entries, and writing poetries have proven to be simpler. I’m most familiar with English, and being brought up by Chinese parents in Indonesia, I’m also literate in Mandarin and Indonesian. Yet I’m still working on my Japanese, and am thinking of learning French in the near future.

By being multilingual, expressions can be conveyed in many ways. However, they’re not always delivered by means of words.

I’m always fascinated in the world of music. Whether or not a song has a lyric, it’s the instruments that make me feel what the composer was feeling. I shout out that feeling through playing piano or guitar by letting my fingers dance on the notes and stringing the cords to produce ranging tones, each revealing the ups and downs of life. But at times of impatience, I couldn’t bear to conceal how I feel before arranging the chords and keys in my own style. That’s when I would sing.

Birth control... Terror on the airline... Heavy metal suicide... AIDS... Crack... Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore! – Alas! I think I must go back to reality! I’ve been mooning over Spider-Man while allowing my mind drifting away for the past hours. There’s no wonder those passers-by eyed me with confusion as I was standing there, gawking stupidly at my book when my legs went numb. Outside the opposing windows dusk was falling. I’d better hie me to the shuttle bus before my teachers and friends leave me here. So I stretched my calves and began to run, but stopped short when I reached the central courtyard where the glass pyramid lay. I drew in the cool night air, and then breathed out slowly, trying not to pant after speeding all the way here. The air condensed on the surface of the glass, and soon it misted over. I could never stop being experimental, so I rubbed the surface to see what would happen. It flashed a silhouette beneath the twilight; it’s a figure of a girl. It’s neither of Paris Hilton, Goldie Hawn, Audrey Hepburn, nor any other ladies in the spotlight; it’s a girl metamorphosing into a notable lady. A reflection, I see –- but the bus was already honking! Anyhow, the girl was smiling to me as if to say goodbye, so I left her and ran as fast as possible, knowing I could reach my destination.

World's End

Continuous Writing

Question:
8. You see a bus that says ‘World’s End’ on the front. You decide to go there. Write the story of the journey and what happens when you arrive at your destination.



The crisp clear morning greeted me with its brisk winds and sweet air. I heaved a sigh of comfort; realizing that I’ve never been in a place with such wondrous atmosphere in such a long time. My schedule is jam-packed with innumerous tasks each and every day. I have a busy life, but so is any other middle-aged businessperson living in the city of New York. Any normal person reforming into a workaholic is a convention to anyone living in the city of lights. Stumbling upon traffic jam during rush hours, busting in noisy offices where rowdy workers hustle with one another and avoiding high-rise buildings that embodies urban lives happen every day. I just wish I have the time to be away from the skyscrapers whatsoever, which does not happen every day. Fortunately, that day happens to be today.

I rested my left hand on the armrest of the wooden bench I was lolling on, helping myself into a comfortable position. At least there was still a source of solace in the metropolitan, the vast and enormous Central Park. Right then, the direction I was facing was a few distance away from a bus stop crammed with crowds of people; some admiring each other’s purchases, others just couldn’t get their hands off their cell phones. I closed my eyes to flee from these views I got bored of seeing every day, what is with these people?

My visions were blurry when I opened my eyes again, but I saw something that caught my eyes from a distance. It’s big for sure, and, if it’s not for its vibrant hues, it couldn’t have grabbed my attention. I squinted to get a better view, and there it is, a huge double-decker bus emblazoned with shades of tangerine, just like the sun. I gazed at it for a minute when it veered towards the bus stop’s direction abruptly. I was bewildered to see that not one person in the bus stop have set their eyes onto this bus, despite its picturesque design. I approached the bus when curiosity overtook me. Strange bus, I thought. There was no plate number, no charges for rides, as indicated by its signboard, and there were no passengers inside; only one driver was in the driver’s seat, eyeing at me. I pretended not to see when I turned my head away, and then I saw this banner in front of the bus that says, “World’s End.” How weird could it be?

I glanced at the driver, signaling him that I would appreciate the offer for a free ride. The door swung open, and he gave me a sincere smile. “Enjoy the ride!” he exclaimed. I forced a weak smile back to him and decided to choose the backseat. Out of the blue, it all blackened out.

When I was conscious again, I tried to recall where I was. There, outside the window, I was astonished to see such magnificent view of trees of various range of colors; emerald to ruby, lime to ivory, all blooming and seasoning. I marveled their glory, forgetting the intention of finding out this mysterious place.
“Been a long time since you’ve last seen these, eh?” the driver called from the front.
”…Yes, it has been.”

He murmured something under his breath, but I was too stunned by the forestry that I couldn’t care less for more.

Soon, a lake came into view. It was when all the shades of green vanished away; the blue skies and azure springs showed up. Once again, I was bewildered by the striking seascape; the waters so clear they glittered under the radiant sunshine, so blue that I almost thought that I was back in front of my PC, admiring the slideshows of natural landscapes. How different is this to the urban lives? Heaven and Earth, I suppose.

It dawned on me that the sun had sunk beyond the valleys that stood as far as the eye could see; some time had its first gold faded through the ground. The majestic view of sunset before a lake was astounding.

Before I could ask why did this peculiar driver offer me, without expecting anything in return, to let me goggle at God’s richest creations for half a day? And where was he heading then? The sun had completely slipped beyond the boughs to dream till dawn, and the sky was obscured, but adorned with glimmering stars that I’ve never seen before in the metropolitan skies. Where am I? I was wondering for a moment whether I was still inside the bus or not; the sights were all so real, I was skeptical about being indoor or outdoor. Sudden crispy winds howled, and somehow I felt the chill. That proved that I was not in the bus. I realized then where I was. In the twilight, I saw light waves of water heading towards my feet while they were dipped under soft sands. I couldn’t picture the panorama before me, but I could see the silhouette of human figure ahead of me. It was the driver.

”Isn’t it great to spend a day alone marveling creations of the One above? Like, away from the urban sprawl for once? Hmm?”
Alas… How did he know?

”Who are you?”
”Funny how I know what you were thinking all day, funny how others neither see me nor the bus earlier, funny how I know exactly what you want.”
”You mean, being anxious to know how you can explain logically to me to get out of the bus without taking any step? Or wondering whether someone have been spying on me all day long?”
”I don’t mean that. Who could possibly be there in the very beginning and at the very end at the same time, scrutinizing people’s daily urban lives?”
”No one. I mean, yes. There’s always God.”
”Bingo! The Alpha and the Omega.”
”What are you talking about!?”
”Let me rephrase your question: Who are you? I am God.”

Sounds of waves smashing on the coastlines stopped, and everything fell into silence. What had I done to meet a mad guy on my Sabbath away from urban lives?

He broke the silence when he cleared his throat. Not long was when I really heed the crazy driver’s explanations about all the immortal events that occurred earlier today. Without anymore doubts after listening to this man, I stared in awe, not quite easily believing that I’ve just met the Creator of the forestry, the seascape, the sunset and to my dismay, me. He began his stories about how the world has changed into the present days while eschewing his sadness that his own creations have been destroying the world, his creation too. That was why the world’s approaching to and end, and luckily, he sensed a mutual feeling of the mortal world today, and that was me.

The greatest mistake I had done was to be ignorant and continue to do the things I don’t want to do, like adapting myself into the place I neglect to be in. He, that day, have brought me awareness of the outcomes if that continues, and suggested that maybe it’s time to do something about it soon enough. When he was finished, he gave me a pendant with a shape of a crucifix, on which it was engraved with words saying “World’s End”, and then instructed me to close my eyes if I perceived his words of wisdom, and reopen them when I am ready to make a difference.

When I did, I was back in the wooden bench again, down in Central Park.

The sky had darkened and I’d better get back home soon. When I was dashing across the street, I heard clinking noises coming from myself. Something kept on hitting lightly onto my chest. When I looked down, it was the pendant that I saw; the pendant saying “World’s End.” Yes, I’d better get back home soon to make a difference as soon as possible.

A few meters away from the street, a man was observing a girl dashing across the street from afar. He secretly smiled. Being satisfied, he swerved the bus away from the street.

The Twilight Zone

Write about 350 – 450 words on:
Descriptive Writing
- Describe a place which comes alive at night.

Every night, the sky is illuminated with millions of stars in different shapes and sizes, sparkling brightly like individual diamonds. The pulsating gleams reflect the atmosphere of the mansion, where no one is stoic and everyone is constantly moving.

Orange County is where it is, where it’s jam-packed with exciting events every night. Whether it’s a birthday or a new year, parties will be held at this mansion, the one mansion that is situated just beside Newport Beach. As the saying goes, beach is where the American dreams come true. Outside the veranda of the master bedroom, where couples will be during these parties, you can see the silver crescent moon shining for you. Along with the sea of stars surrounding them, the waters of Newport Beach mirrors the ever-changing faces you’ll find in the party. This is why the bedroom is perfect for couples: a view so beautiful, as if it came to life from a neat piece by Picasso, and the colorful ornaments of every shade you can think of – perfect. Yes, the ornaments include a magenta bedroom of pillows cloaked in periwinkle blue; walls of wallpapers printed with pictures of ancient Greek gods all in brown, posing as if cameras are all around; a red carpet stretching across the parquet floor, and a murky-green wardrobe that stood aloof in the right corner beside the bed. Where can you find another place so colorful, so absolute, and so complete that it makes our dates so perfect? Fairytale is not an alternative, because Seth Cohen’s mansion is where you should begin with for a long-lasting relationship.

If you try to walk out of the bedroom, don’t worry because it is still a whole world beyond your dreams and imagination. As you tip-toe down each step of the rounded staircase, you are actually drawing closer and closer to the life of the party, where on each step you’ll hear someone yells, though you cannot make out the words, as those words are actually floating about an air of more words, of which, all together, creates a place with full of life. The minute you step on the ground floor, the first thing you’ll notice is not a celebrity, never a chimpanzee, but, as bizarre as it seems, it is the smell of cocktails and champagnes. Alcohols can get richer and more famous than Britney Spears, or Ace Ventura’s company (the faithful chimpanzee), especially in parties held by someone with such a lavish lifestyle. The Cohens is a rich family, as obviously indicated by the size of their mansion and the acres it covered. Not only the Cohens are wealthy, but they have neighbors like the Nichols and the Coopers who owns Orange County. All this make up a rich district, comparable to Bill Gates’ home. Everyone in the neighborhood seems to know one another, and so they gather every night at the Cohens to celebrate as one family.

At the ground floor of flying corks of champagnes and floating glasses of cocktails, you will easily find the world’s most remarkable designer clothing lines worn by people who are adorned with the brightest jewelries. This view has far more colors than the rainbow has, where jades shine under purple shawls and sapphires lit under pink frills of Versace dresses. These people are the hippest, the famous and the first persons people talk about in the neighborhood. At Orange County, daytimes are not as effervescent as twilight, due to the habit of these people flaunting their shining garments hither and thither in the night, making darkness a resemblance of joy and happiness.

Chauffeurs and limousines waited outside the gate and housemaids and gardeners by the poolhouse. They anticipated until the break of dawn, where the house will be littered with spills of alcohols and tissue papers spreading everywhere around the living room so large it can fit elephants. However, the living room is where the life of these parties are located, where the kitchen, the garden, the bedrooms and the poolhouse are combined to create one enlightening atmosphere that is far beyond any description, where the animation is present, and where the heart of Orange County is every night.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION FOR SECONDARY FOUR & PRE-UNIVERSITY
CONTINUOUS WRITING
SCORE: 21/25

Technology

Technology improves human’s everyday activities, which makes our lives easier. However, its jeopardy takes a more potent effect rather than its objective of creation, that is, to simplify human’s busy lives. With improved medical services, human life spans are stretched to a longer extent, which will eventually lead to an ageing population. This overpopulation may lead to a lack of resources, bringing ecological stress, not to forget the imminent dangers caused by the Internet. Does it provide all information for the good of mankind or otherwise?

As we mentioned earlier, a better healthcare due to technological advances of scrutinizing the problems of certain illnesses, overpopulation may be experienced an area due to the larger proportion of senior citizens with longer lives. At this state, the area cannot be supported stably as there is less working population of age ranging from the early youth to the fully-grown adults. These people work for providing resources to support families with food, water, and other daily vital supplements.
Accommodation is also improved as more infrastructures and other transportation routes are built. As a result, the spread of diseases can also be omnipresent in the area, because the outspread of them is also mounted.

People burn fossil fuels to provide an alternative energy source other than the Sun: electricity. This process augments the depletion of ozone layer, which lets more UV rays to penetrate to the Earth and to create global warming.
Raw materials obtained from nature, such as wood, are also made under technological processes to give us paper. People don’t realize that the cutting down of forests will increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and, in addition to that, the loss of habitats for animals. Extinction of certain species of animals is possible.

The most popular matrix in which identities are irrelevant is the Internet. This is where we find all sorts of information we want to know about, including the construction of weapons of mass destruction, normally looked up by terrorists. Maybe these weapons are meant for educational purposes, but these weapons may be considered as destructive machineries for others. Look at Dan Brown’s best-selling novel “Angels & Demons.” An honored scientist who succeeded creating “a whole new world” of antimatter was foreseen as a sinner of God through the eyes of a zealot. The scientist was murdered by the zealous dignitary, who then terrorized the whole of Vatican by using the antimatter’s destructive hazards to prove that God’s path of virtue in life was forgotten in the battle of science against religion. Terrorism was then what it was called, where riots are all over the city. This is currently a major concern worldwide, and who knows whether the judgment day is approaching?

In conclusion, I think that technology have been working for its motive by improving the hard lives of people, but its harm towards us is the main dynamic behind its origination, whether we are aware of it or not. With these environmental catastrophes occurring under chronological process, the end of the world is surely heading its way, sooner or later.

Love

LOVE

Love is one of the most furtive sentiments that ancient artists and poets had been attempting to manifest its explicit definition through aesthetic illustrations, even up till today. It approaches our daily lives in various ways: affection, friendship, infatuation, passion and many others; but these expressions never fails to contribute to felicitousness.

Inasmuch as we are living in a firm society, people tend to have a myopic thinking of circumscribed knowledge and logical reasoning that is limited, thus incapable of broadening their sense of awareness towards certain concerns, such as love. The simple negligence directly taken from the very essence of ignorance would drive the unconscious individuals to irrational contemplations, such as the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, lust, anger, avarice, sadness and gluttony. These are common deceptions misled by banal misconceptions, but the magic of love is that it can flare them all at once just by kindling its slightest glow, igniting one’s glee.

Love is the urging of human beings to experience oneness, unity and entirety. It does not only compromise of romantic love, but also brotherly or family love and, the conspicuous one, yet essential: universal love. I believe the verity of love animating two distinct strangers as one, the establishment of destined love induced from faithful friendship bonds that will last for eternity and the ability for one to disseminate love in diversified aspects, not by means of different quantities.

When people misinterpreted love, the outcomes are deceptive. The usual delusion is that, without another, one is incomplete. I believe that the beings that we are are already impeccably consummated from the moment we were created. It is love that brings fruition; to make us conceive the appreciation of what we already had: completion as an individual. The way I see it is, when two utter individuals are in love, they utilize their integrity to work out one ideal relationship, that’s when oneness is experienced. Love for oneself is the beginning of a life-long bliss. It is, in fact, the seed of life that begins to blossom at birth; where it will learn logistics and rationalness to determine oneself. The more it acquired, the more it harvested and therefore it incorporates the value judgments based on its own experiences. Once it is able to realize its own supremacy, it will be able to identify everyone’s best interest as one and tumble to the reality that it is capable to love everyone equally; not in the same way, but in the same amount.

With the deceits one had been led to, his reflexion will probably bring about the seven deadly sins, normally dealing with pride, envy and lust. Pride is not a concern when it is a satisfaction of personal achievements, but being self-worthy and possessing inordinate self-esteem is drawing out the boundary of love for oneself; just like extending the limits of love, which will tend towards hatred. Same goes for the lack of confidence; being diffident is being reticent to one’s manners, desolating oneself on the bottom of everyone. As a result, he will let victory slip through his fingers, just because only the early birds catch the worms. As one gradually stops seeing oneself as a mercy; a helper in time of need; a comforter in time of sorrow; a healer in time of injury; a teacher in times of confusion, he will be unable to regain his strength to stand up by himself, unable to help himself in time of need; sorrow; injury and confusion. If one is unable to love oneself, how will he be able to love another?

The motive power of envy was derived from the lack of modesty; where one is incapable of envisaging the grandeur of oneself, which requires not to be altered in any way as it is already unblemished. These overconfident and timid people thrusts themselves into a substandard position and therefore, picturing the “elites” as the contenders. The bold ones will find it hard to accept another’s best assets comparatively to themselves and so they, too, find it hard to determine their own virtues and boost their values, thus opting the hasty way of bearing evil thoughts on another person of higher ranks. The coy ones, whom isolate themselves into the far corner overlooking at the distant cosmopolitan societies would feel discouraged of their insular footing. These external stimuli devalue our humility, developing more hatred towards others and ourselves too, usually without us realizing it.

Nowadays, the media from the entertainment world is getting more and more ardent of the exhibition of public insincere behaviors among the celebrities that people adore; making the die-hard fans adhere their idols in any manner of disguise, even the improper ones like exposing parts of the body. This is jeopardous, especially among the young people, as it obscenely stimulates sexual arousal and creates a desire for the superficial needs, not the intellectual depths. People tend to fancy only the physical benefits, not perceiving inner beauty. Today, there is nothing unusual about the question, “Love… or just sex?” These people normally precede appearances before ascertaining their true passion for life, that is, a genuine lover. It is undoubtedly natural for a man to feel enthusiastic while beholding the ravishment of a woman, but every rose has its thorns; no matter how flawless her skin is; how sparkling her eyes are; how curvy her body is; there will be no inclination to determine her personality.

Issues of sex have been augmenting throughout the years, where people only pinpoint on getting physical rather than spiritual. The adoration of corporeal appeal blinded these people by enshrouding themselves with falseness, immorality and cupidity. These factors were prevailed upon lust, which often interferes relationships facing an insecure prospective. When the famous question breezes in, I can foresee that often, the couples are falling in love for sure, but it matters what kind of love is expressed. When true love ignites a burning desire for physical attachment, its intensity will last long, or even forever. But when it ends abruptly, it is proven that they know not love then, but is familiar of infatuation, therefore the fondness only exists momentarily.

To satisfy an urgent desire to unite with the beloved of pure passion physically is a way for mortal people like us to experience oneness; providing the health aspects understood, every consequence considered and every care and joy expressed. This means that preparation had been taken care beforehand, which signifies that the couple took care and concern for their relationship to be maintained for long. This motive involves both spirit and physique; both inseparably intertwined to become one, providing the two individuals feeling the unity beyond earthly possessions.

To be able to love oneself is to feel trust, care, understanding, acceptance, appreciation and respect towards oneself in every aspects of life. Once one has succeeded in acquiring these implications based on past experiences, he will be self-conscious about his own consummated values and will learn to see oneself as someone treasured. At this stage, he will stumble upon compassion towards others. This is the token of fundamental love; the love for all: universal love. When he regards others as highly as himself, he will be capable of distinguishing everyone’s greatest interest of their own. This is the point of possibility where everyone will unite as one; with the endowment of love as the human urging to prove that we are not apart from each other. It matters not whether it will be happening in the near future or at the time of our descendants, but, as Paul had concluded, love is the highest of all virtues; without it, the clusters of people will not be as compact as it seems, the flora and fauna will not be as animated as it seems, and the world we are living in will not be as enlivened, buoyant and effervescent as it seems.

The Fun Fair

FUN FAIR

“Raindrops keep falling on my head…” The song was played loudly while the sudden shower of rain fell and strong winds that blew away the colorful ribbons and balloons throughout. The colors of the decorations were almost dancing in the short-term drastic rain, and I guess that was why people still come with no worries even though it’s the rainy season, added with Bina Bangsa’s students’ being very welcoming.

The fun fair was at the car park, with crowded people chattering away throughout. Each class of Bina Bangsa School held a stall, all selling different varieties of entertainment, mostly food and beverages. The continuous cheerful songs that was played by the people of the Bina Bangsa School radio crew and the song request booth made the atmosphere of the place enlightening as people come and go. I heard people humming, saw people chattering away while eating their snacks that were bought from different stalls as I busily wrote down countless orders in my stall. My class’s stall was called “Nobelicez” as we sold different toppings of ice creams and tastes of cakes. People seemed to enjoy themselves by matching the cool weather while licking our ice creams. I secretly smiled as I watched.

One of the most popular booth was the water dunking machine where people voted for Bina Bangsa School’s teachers to be dunk inside. People watched, laughed and asked for more dunkings. People crowded around the booth just to watch the funny scene of the teachers falling down, some from different schools, while others were parents and children. Everyone looked happy then.

Since my job of taking orders in the stall was done, I strolled around my school level by level. The feeling of walking around then was different from the usual perfunctory moments of dragging myself grudgingly to attend different classes from place to place. Then, I felt excited going from one exhibition to another. I felt the pride of being one of the students there as I saw a lot of interesting progresses done by the students of Bina Bangsa, all from different subjects such as Chemistry, Biology and IT. One of my works was put up, and then I felt proud.

I visited some playrooms where people played computer games such as CounterStrike and PlayStation games. Visitors from other schools around the same age as me were amusing themselves while getting along with their new friends to play along. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun.

The haunted house, held in the seventh floor called the Labyrinth of Doom, was the most popular and populous event of the day. Since it began and until it ended, the queue was as long as the Nile River looked from afar. I saw a sea of people waiting in the line, looking impatient of entering the entrance of the haunted house. I met several people that screamed, cried and even fainted after visiting the house. I was even more curious then.

There was no sign of hospitality, but the sound of eerie laughters and spooky noises made me even more curious than intimidated. Two of my friends were males, and they already had girlfriends, but during the trip going around the maze to and fro, unable to find our way out and meeting several “ghosts” that were actually prefects dressing up as figures, I didn’t realized that I had jumped, screamed and held one of the boys’ hand tightly. I feel like I was playing a role-playing game as I had never experienced such a frightening experience that I almost forgot that I was in my own school. In the end, I realized that I dropped my cell phone. I was too scared to go back to the house, so I asked for one of the prefects to find it for me, but I was holding two cell phones, one was found and the other has not been found.

The most mysterious gossip was that one of the “ghosts” were seen with naked eyes as a real ghost. There were actually twelve but they saw thirteen in total. These rumors made me very threatened and doubtful of my courage to ever visit the seventh floor again. It's the most memorable monsoon season of all, under the influence of my lost cell phone trauma in the haunted house.

Friends

She sashayed along the corridor that turned from noises of chattering into whisperings of murmurs, with every pair of eyes watching her every move. She remained calm and confident, loving every minute of the attention people gave.

Her wavy hair glistened under the lights as it bounces up and down when she moves as freely as a little girl. Every teacher she meets, she greets them with delight and almost charmed every one of them with her cheerful blue eyes of blitheness and ravishing smile of triumph after passing each of her respective subject tests with flying colors.

Almost everyone in our school knew her; friends of different levels, teachers, staff members, even the cleaning service and school guards. Sometimes, I saw a glimpse of these people getting to the brink of being engulfed by her charm for a moment, and I smiled silently whenever I see that.

I was glad enough to have such a blithesome friend, but there was another that complements a friendship bond. She is as free as a bird, and as whimsical as a child. Those intelligent emerald-green eyes would mesmerize everyone that sees her and her short bobbing hair shaped her oval face with pure cuteness that every boy in our school loves. She possessed a sense of pride and confidence of being both feminine and masculine whenever the time is right. This engendered her into someone that you’d love to seek advice from, face problems together with and yes, she is an angel at heart that lends her ears and shoulders to lean on anytime for her friends. This is why people loved her so much.

The three of us are always seen together everywhere. We started the strong bond of friendship about a year ago. I knew I was still loved by them as much as I loved them, even though I was never reckoned as someone as flawless as them. We give each other spaces, but also keep secrets, share stories, disseminate inspirations and occasionally gossip. Our best pastime together was when we spend time outdoors together outside the school.

Some of the little things that showed off their conducts on both work and play was when I wanted to have fun all day long. They would convince me to spend some time concentrating on my poor subjects as they taught me no matter how many times it would take for me to understand. When I studied with painstaking effort, they would put me to rest, and the next minute we would be having fun already.

Some people said that friends are our reflections upon the surface of the mirror, in substitution of the mirror as our bond of friendship, the reflection becomes more vivid and even though we spot the imperfections of the reflection, we accept the way things were and we forgive and forget. We have so many differences, but also many similarities; we loved each other and have made friends that will last forever.

Conscience

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

A mistakenly cynical view of human behavior holds that people are primarily driven by selfish motives: the desire for wealth, for power, or for fame. Yet history gives us many examples of individuals who have sacrificed their own welfare for a cause or a principle that they regarded as more important than their own lives. Conscience – that powerful inner voice that tells us what is right and what is wrong – can be a more compelling force than money, power, or fame.

Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.




People tend to think that they strive to success by possessing the privilege comprised of money, fame, or power – sometimes all – through capitalism. Nevertheless, the truth is that, the more potent motivator towards any directions is in fact conscience. James Cash Penney had founded the department stores under the basic understanding of shoddy business practices and fair services for the community. Spider-Man, one of the superheroes designed by Marvel Comics, is also an example of someone who undertakes to be responsible in fighting crimes, for he seizes a great power.

JCPenney, a company in the United States that operates retail centers well-known for serving the American consumers, is a great example of an entrepreneur’s accomplishment through acknowledging what is right and what is wrong. James Cash Penney grew up in the farming field under the strict raise of his parents. Throughout his early childhood years, he learned the value of service to others by the examples in the way his parents lived hard lives for the benefit of him. Eventually, Penney learned that serving emptor with great expectations, such as standardized pricing and friendly customer services, to have monetary gains was not what his inner voice was telling him. Instead, he did it with fair dealings and an honest value for he knew what was right for him. Driven by this thought, his retailers received recognition among consumers nationwide.

Unlike Penney, Marvel Comics’ friendly neighborhood, Spider-Man, had his ups and downs after his miraculous change into an amazing superhero. When he was given spider-like abilities, Peter Parker’s wishes were granted: A great deal of money to afford cars to impress Mary-Jane Watson, a girl he had always liked, renowned fame to erase his unpopularity of being a geek, and a solid power to endure his life as an orphan. Due to the necessity for keeping a secret identity, he was embroiled by the conflicting sides of his life; both being a hero and living a normal life. He realized that his previous motives of money, fame, and power to have what he want was sad and untrue; but after a period of time contemplating, he learned that he could impress any girl, saving lives and fighting crimes at a time just by knowing the right and the wrong. He is right to have the privilege to possess a great power, but under circumstances of wrongdoings, he must have the responsibility, as a powerful hero, to face them. Through this acquired conscience, he lead his life where “with great power, comes great responsibility.”

Motivators are those that drive us towards a direction we yearned for. Money, fame, or power can be those motives, but both the real and fantasy world had proven that being conscious of what is right and what is wrong is stronger than any of those to constrain ourselves to attain what we want, but that can only be done if we have the courage to do so.

Barney's

Describe the sights, sounds, and smells of a busy shopping mall which you had recently visited.

Barneys was a place packed with lots of goodies to buy, and it provides everything that you need. It was located in New York, the United States of America, near Central Park. The sight of it from afar was similar to a huge castle with bright angelic lights shimmering around it during winter.

Everywhere, I see people. The rush of people to and fro created the atmosphere of happiness and warmth with the people around me. Whether it was your family, friends or a lover that was with you right then, happiness was present.

The trees around the shopping mall were coniferous trees, decorated with bright lights, angels and a star at the top of each tree. The sweet scent of Christmas was present with the people, the decorations and the bright lights all together.

It seemed like everywhere around Barneys I went. There was always a choir singing or a group of people playing musical instruments/ They sang and played Christmas songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Let It Snow”, accompanied by warm smiles on their faces that made people felt comfortable. Even if there was no choir or band playing, among the busy people talking, I could hear some children humming Christmas songs.

Almost everyone was wearing Santa Claus’s hat while clinging small bells with their loved ones. Of course, there were some lonely people sitting at the dark, deserted corners of the shopping mall. They would wait under each tree for someone, hopefully a loved one to spend Christmas with.

The exit of Barneys were a crowd of people carrying shopping bags, wearing Santa’s hat with their companies, looking very much delighted with the presence of bright lights accompanying the place for it to be as happy as possible. If I could give a nickname of this site, I would’ve called it a Happyland.

Fairly consistent; good description of the sights and sounds of White Christmas in a shopping mall. If there are more description of people, it would be much better! Overall at this point, I’m fairly happy with the effort. Keep up the good work!

Shhh

Shhh

silence

aloof and nonchalant

without a care in the world

i stood still

in silence

waiting for the rain to stop

waiting for the sun to shine

waiting for someone to come

waiting...

is it worthwhile?

good for nothing

that day comes once in a blue moon

should i stay in mediocrity

or should i follow the Sun?

SHHH...

…silence.

I am...

I am...

Some say I'm good, others say I'm bad;

Some say I'm nice, others say I'm naughty;

Some say I'm diligent, others say I'm slothful;

Some say I'm smart, others say I'm dim-witted;

Some say I'm independent, others say I'm vulnerable;

Some say I'm matured, others say I'm childish;

Some say I'm intellectual, others say I'm dull;

Some say I'm prudent, others say I'm inept;

Some say I'm a lady; others say I'm a girl;

Some say I'm Stacia; others say otherwise.

...Whatever people say, I am who I am.

Death

DEATH

Pieces of a dream shattered in my mind

Voices of spirits, I hear them whine

Visions of skeletons appeared out of paroxysm

As though they repleted me with terrorism

Requiem of my funeral replayed

Eternal perfunctory rendezvous with it, I had

My death was a phenomenon

By ablazing fire of hell, my everything was gone

The abominable muttering of spirits

Subjugate my plenipotentiary thoughts

As now I am going through reincarnation

My surroundings are enshrouded with falseness, agony and termination

Plumages and feathers disseminated

Thoughts of realized sins I had done disembowelled

I saw the light of hope

The next life I will be able to cope

To rejuvenate a new life, this is my will

Lost... but Safe

Lost… but Safe

At the brink of tears
I held my breath
I swallowed hard to bear the pain
My heart was fired with depression
As someone deeply loved was gone for now

Through my eyes I see only grey and dirt
Dust blinded me to cause redness all over
I am left alone now
With no one comforting me
And no one consoling me

But soon I realized
I still had all the ones that I loved
I breathe out the great relief
As the sun fights its way among the clouds
I still have hopes and dreams to live

I am safe.

Paradise

PARADISE

Listening to the ocean breeze
Where sea gulls calling out at ease
Watching the slow-swaying palm trees
I feel like I’m in paradise

In an open field with children
Running place to place, to and fro
Basking in the sun as it burn
Towards the flora as they grow
I feel like I’m in paradise

Found my knight in shining armor
Riding a white horse with glamour
He protects me through the danger
Fighting enemies with anger
Tightly hugged me, gently kissed me
I feel like I’m in paradise

The Heart

THE HEART

"Knock, knock,"

It swings open to beat faster

It welcomes the good cheer

It races when the agitation gets hyper

But it is not opened for everyone

As there must be that special someone

That it dare not expose itself to

For the fear of being stranded

For the doubt of being unloved

For the anxiety of being unaccepted

It ignores the countless knockings

But still that someone is patiently anticipating

For the beautiful soul to announce her semblance

As he knows that behind the quiet cynical mirage

There is another alluring reflection

Facing his shadow of doubts

Why does it not open for me?

Am I not worthy enough?

Am I not much of a value?

The more the psyche cries

The more the tear dries

For the sake of her true colors she savor

She left her significance apart from herself

By the heavy barrier that keeps them so distant

Yet so close to each other if she believes

She finally trust her will for freedom of worries

And succeeded to perish the strong barrier

And there he stands right in front of her

Glad to tardily absolve the sadness within

How did she do that?

How did she destroy the forceful palisade?

He and she know not

Yet you and I realized that

Just by simply opening our hearts

Everything will become as unbroken as the sky…