Moon Light Light

Every time I see a full moon, I recall a Cantonese poem my grandmother and mom would recite that eventually became a lullaby. What got it lodge deeper into my memory was the funny attempt to find out what the whole thing meant by translating it into English. So here is the childhood poem, with a (almost) literal translation (with help by Google Translate), on this night with a lovely full moon.

月光光，
Moon Light Light

照地堂，
Shine Ground Hall

年卅晚，
Year 30th Evening

摘檳榔，
Pick Betel Nut

檳榔香，
Betel Nut Fragrant

摘紫薑，
Pick Purple Ginger

紫薑辣，
Purple Ginger Spicy

買胡辣，
Pick Fu Spice

胡辣苦，
Fu Spice Bitter

買豬肚，
Buy Pig's Stomach

豬肚肥，
Pig's Stomach Fat

買牛皮，
Buy Cow Skin

牛皮薄，
Cow Skin Thin

買菱角，
Buy Water Caltrop

菱角尖，
Water Caltrop Sharp

買馬鞭,
Buy Horse Whip

馬鞭長,
Horse Whip Long

起屋樑,
Raise House Beams

屋樑高,
House Beams High

買張刀,
Buy A Knife

刀切菜，
Knife Cut Vegetables

買籮蓋,
Buy Basket Cover

籮蓋圓，
Basket Cover Round

買條船,
Buy A Boat

船浸底，
The Boat Capsized

浸親三個番鬼仔,
Drowned 3 Sailors

一個蒲頭，
One Floated Up

一個浸底,
One Sank Down

一個裡面屎坑底，
One Was In The Toilet

收钱来買油炒粿
Saving Money To Buy Oil Fried Cake

Late Blooms For Mom

Didn't really plan on getting anything for mom for her birthday as I really didn't know what to get her anymore. She gave up on cheesecake and has too much crochet and sewing items. Plus we were having our reunion dinner tonight and getting something to eat wasn't on the top of the list.

So as we were shopping for ingredients for our reunion dinner, dad and I decided to check out Eco Garden to see if there might be a nice belimbing plant I could get. After feeling like a shabby spot was trying to cheat us, we wondered if this location, which was well-organised, would have higher prices. The range and prices here shocked us both with it being really good and the plants looked really healthy. Oh, and can't forget that the staff there were really helpful! That was when dad and I thought that we shouldn't pass up on the orchids there and to get her a birthday present, one that she can also show off for Lunar New Year.

So after choosing the 3 orchids for her, which was a bit tough looking at the amount of really nice ones on sale, we went off with me forgetting that I wanted a chilli plant. Well, when I go back for my full garden supplies, that chilli plant will be on the list.

Happy Birthday Mudder!

Why Am I Writing This?

Write a bad poem, make it as lousy as you can, do everything wrong, let yourself be awful.


Brain dead
Headed to bed
Roll right lay flat roll left
Warm night air sweat dripping wet bed
Bed head

List It.

Write a list poem.

My House

Is full of books that are mostly in a shelf

Is full of dog toys strewn all over the floor

Is full of food so no one goes hungry

Is full of love where everyone can call home

Pistachio To Varnish

Write a poem that includes all of the following words: pistachio, ink, pebble, weather, varnish.

No varnish on the wood,

Through all weather it stood

Worn out like a pebble by water

Cracks form as the days got hotter

Like nature's version of L.A. Ink

Coloured patterns from pistachio to zinc

Text

Who was the last person you texted? Write a five line poem to that person.

Hello

I texted you

It was made on the go

It was something out of the blue

Goodbye

Haiku Headache!

Write a haiku. They’re often about nature, but yours can be about anything.

"Syllables"

I have realised

That Haikus have lines of three

Of five seven five.

Inspired

Day 33: Visit a virtual art gallery and look around until you find a piece that intrigues you. Write a poem inspired by the artwork.

You inspire people

As for me I am confused

Splatter Splats and Swirls

Mr Blubberoo

Write a short poem that a child would like.

Who is that giant in the ocean blue

It's the whale they call Mr Blubberoo

With his tail he waves his hello

Then a fountain from his head he'll blow

Makes a big splash and then he's gone

Deep down in the ocean swimming on and on.

Page 8

Day 46: Find the nearest book (of any kind). Turn to page 8. Use the first ten full words on the page in a poem. You may use them in any order, anywhere in the poem.

With a love for food

It is essential that it tastes good.

Our social lives revolve around it

Only a few will not eat even a little bit.

To make an interesting dish better

A balanced mix of part tart, sweet, salty, bitter.

A poem from 10 words my brain derives

"Food is not only an essential part of our lives"

Lost Cinquain

Day 43: Write a cinquain on a topic of your choice.

Alas

I wrote something

In a blue gifted book

But it was lost when I travelled

Dang It!

Facebook Status Poetry?

Day 41: Write a poem of any length incorporating every word from your latest Facebook status.

"Feel like eating Tau Huay"

Something soft from something hard

Smooth like silk and unmarred

The feel on my tongue like a ballet

As I'm eating every scoop of Tau Huay

Bing Bang Boom!

Day 28: Respond to the poem you posted yesterday with a poem of your own.


In the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong
They'd celebrate anytime of the year
Without a need of gong
Heard from the mountains to the pier.

Bing Bang Boom
Fireworks mushroom
Boom Bing Bang
Pretty loud the choir sang
Bang Boom Bing
They would all dance in a ring

And end it off with a big Bing Bang BOOM!

Poem I Love

Day 27: Post a poem (written by someone else) that you love.

On the Ning Nang Nong

On the Ning Nang Nong

Where the Cows go Bong!

and the monkeys all say BOO!

There's a Nong Nang Ning

Where the trees go Ping!

And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.

On the Nong Ning Nang

All the mice go Clang

And you just can't catch 'em when they do!

So its Ning Nang Nong

Cows go Bong!

Nong Nang Ning

Trees go ping

Nong Ning Nang

The mice go Clang

What a noisy place to belong

is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong.

- Spike Mulligan

The Poem I'd Never Write

Begin with the title “The Poem I’d Never Write.” Then, write that poem.


Here Goes
The One Strange Poem 
I Would Not Have Written 
But I Did It For This Challenge 
Oh Well 


 Bahahaha :p

Oh Like We Used To

Day 18: Pick a one line song lyric to serve as an epigraph to your poem. Then, write the poem to accompany it.

String rubberbands to play a game
Chalk the floor to do the same
Walk barefoot in the drain
And dance with umbrellas in the rain
At the playground we would play
As the adults gambled away
Simple everything that we do
Oh like we used to

Back In The Day

Day 15: Write a narrative poem detailing a specific childhood memory.

We would take a short ride

To my grandparent's place to play

With lots of places to hide

Back in the day

Sometimes we'd get tired

That's where we'll stay

And dream of what we desired

Back in the day

Up early every morning

Grandma would get up and pray

And we'd still be yawning

Back in the day

As we grew old

We'd visit on the way

Listen to stories neighbours told

Back in the day

Then came dismay

The land had to make way

We had to move away

From back in the day

Cleaning The Mind

Day 8: Imagine yourself doing any household task/chore, then write a poem using what you’ve imagined as an extended metaphor for writing.

Starting off clean and white, 

Cleaning off every thought in my head. 

Ink scurrying over paper like a little mite 

The clog is clear, my mind is off to bed.

C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N.A.

Day 2: Write a poem where each line starts with a letter from your first name. It can be about anything, but it should not be about you or your name.

Hope you have a laugh:

Chocolate... chocolate... milk, dark and white,
Hazelnuts, peanuts help give them a bite.
Research says it makes you gay,
It will simply just sweeten your day.
Semi sweet chips or chunky couverture,
They fit in cookies or can be giant sculptures.
It can be simple or it can be bold
And some even have real flecks of Gold!
Now it's time to sit back and relax,
And enjoy a box of chocolates before they melt like wax.