Ryan Lee 2D/07

All My Friends Are Dead

Not entirely undisturbed it swam
Over and under, water and land
This great black bird
With wings of might
Ink black feathers
Dark as night

Swan Lake
The sign said
But where were the swans?
They must all be dead.

A single lonesome swan
Was all there was left.
Perhaps the sign
Was put up in jest?

Walking down the trail, I was delighted to see a sign declaring that “Swan Lake” was up ahead. Excited, I ran to the lake, and was immediately overwhelmed by the sight of six gigantic bronze swans, seemingly flying off the surface of the lake, immortalized in all their glory. However, upon further examination, the lake held no more evidence of birdlike life, except for one sad character. He was sitting by the side of the lake, preening himself. He looked unhappy, even melancholic, as if mourning the death of a loved one. He was even dressed in the black of a funeral! Perhaps the cause was bird flu?

I was intrigued that Swan Lake had only one swan. I was expecting a whole lakeful of them, instead of one companionless bird. However, the swan’s grace, despite its solitude, inspired me to write this poem. Wish you all the best, Swan Dude.

Caleb Loei 2D/07: Heart Breaker

Heart Breaker

Staring beyond blank reflections,
Gazing at the bright blue sky,
She seemed to imply,
That indeed, still lingers deep underlying affections.

Lush greenery that never fears rejection,
Soothing waters which never runs dry,
Never thought of any objections,
She eagerly awaits his reply.

Despite his imperfections,
She never thought of saying good bye,
Time seemed to whiz by.
However, she did not fit into his aspirations,
In his life, she was just a section

Epilogue:
This poem was inspired by this picture as well as the works of William Wordsworth, in particular "The World Is Too Much With Us". This picture shows a couple who is eagerly awaiting their wedding day to arrive and is keeping memories of these happy times through the use of photography. In the long run, these happy times may not last. However, one could not dispute that indeed this two people share a mystic bond chosen by destiny. It struck me that Mother Nature also shares this mystic bond with man. We are linked whether we like it or not.

I wrote this poem to remind ordinary citizens about the ever-waiting presence of Mother Nature. Like a bride, eagerly waiting for her groom to arrive, similarly, Mother Nature is waiting for us to return to her side. The “he” is this poem refers to Mankind while the “she” refers to Mother Nature. Man used to depend on nature for everything he needed to survive. From shelter to food to medicine, the list is endless. However, with the introduction of technology in our lives, it has become a love triangle. As Wordsworth implies in his poem, Man has abandoned nature for their own personal goals. Both technology and nature are vying for our attention. It has come to a state where we forgot our first love. Indeed as man strives to improve our own standard of living, we seem to cast away nature. Therefore, through this poem, I hope to urge all readers to embrace nature as our “wife” once again and love and take care of her just as we did in the past.

This poem is in a French form of poetry called a rondel. It is a variation of a rondeau and it consists of two quatrains followed by a quintet. There are 13 lines in total. The rhyming scheme is in the form of ABBA, ABAB, ABBAA.

Caleb Loei 2D/07

Angeline Kang 2B/07

Tired, she sat on the bench by the tree,

Her shoulders bending down like the vines on it.

It was this moment when she felt so free,

Like this was where she finally fit.

One with nature, she gazed up to the sky,

Looking at its majestic crown of leaves.

Nothing to distract her, nothing passed by,

So unlike the world, filled with her pet peeves.

After a while, she contemplated going back,

Work was piling up, she had so much to do.

But she loved nature, she wanted to stay.

Her mind was at ease on the bench by the tree.

Epilogue:

When I passed by this part of the Botanic Gardens, I was drawn to the simplicity of the spot. There were 2 wooden benches, cleverly situated under a tree, such that it was nicely shaded by the tree's huge crown of leaves. The vines that hung down from the branches added an element of fantasy to it, like as if one was entering a different world. I loved how it felt so secluded and set apart from the rest of the Botanic Gardens, where it "decorated" in earthly tones (muddy brown, dark green), so unlike the rest of the Gardens which was mostly bright and lively colours.

Sitting on the bench, I felt a sense of serenity, to be so surrounded by nature. In this fast-paced modern society, it is hard to take a moment out to just sit down & relax, to think about the simple things in life and appreciate the beauty of nature. I felt that this little spot was the embodiment of all that I mentioned. As I sat on the bench, I finally understood why the Romantic poets loved nature so much. I loved how nature had this calming effect on me. And even though this spot had very plain and dull tones, I felt that it was very beautiful, very simple and easy on the eye.

As such, I was inspired to write this poem about this girl who is so bobbed down by work and one day, leaves home to go to a park. It is then that she realises how much she loves nature and does not want to go back. Nature has always been there since the start of the world, we need to learn to love, respect and care for it.

:)Angeline

Goh Wei Xiang 2B/07

The trees swayed seemingly encouraging

The coward in me slowly retreating

Mustered the courage to croak the words

Will you marry me my love?

Birds chirped melodiously afterwards

Even the sitting white little dove

Our eyes met for a split second

You nodded and teardrops filled

Ecstasy was an understatement

The ring was testament to my faith

Our hearts start to palpitate

Because you’ve found your lifetime mate

Epilogue:

I was inspired to write this poem when I saw a couple taking wedding photos in the picturesque botanic gardens. The expressions on their faces bore pure happiness; they looked as if they were in their own world, immersed in the company of each other. I believe that love is one of the ultimate joys of the world. The joy of finding your partner for life must surely be one of extreme ecstasy. The couple was holding their hands, embracing in the photos and gazing in each other eyes oblivious to the stares of the park-goers. They had eyes only for each other.

After that, I thought about how the guy must have felt when he was proposing to her. Even the toughest guys have trouble proposing to the woman of their dreams. This poem was written to express the process of proposing. It was most certainly nerve-wrecking.

I wish the couple all the best in their marriage life and may their love flow like a waterfall meandering through the rocks which may be the trials and tribulations they face together.

Justin Lee 2B/07

Bleached white branches of an old dead tree,
Still clawing at the sky, still looking up high
Still mocking death, still trying to be.

The pale flaked skin of a tired old man,
Still fighting off the grave,
Still trying to live, still trying to stand with the help from a friend.

Bones and Skin; the tree and the man,
Both of them, and all of us,
Still clinging to life, still gripping my hand.

Epilogue:

This old bonsai tree is being compared to an old man, who is hanging on to that last bit of life in which he is being given much support by his close friend before death would finally conquer him. The bleached trunk of this bonsai tree was the muse of this simple poem.

Ultimately, what a man needs is a Friend. A Friend who is there for you when you need him at your most. Only Nature could bring us a friend like that. Nature never goes away, it remains where it is all the time. Be it rain or shine, Nature will always be there.

Hence, When i saw that this bleached and flaking tree, all i could think of was to give back when Nature has gave to me - a friend.

As illustrated in the picture, my palm is wrapped around the trunk of the tree, giving it support and that little glimpse of hope for the aged and dying bonsai tree to live on.

Be it supporting it for an extra minute, or even an extra second, at least i can tell myself "Hey, I did what I could for a friend and I did it with the best ability that i was able to.''

I believe that friends and family are the driving force that keeps you moving in life. Without them, I would be nothing.

Given the opportunity now, I would like to thank all my friends and Mother Nature who have been there for me and I would like to say that I will be there for all of you guys too, now and always.

Kenny Chen Han Teng 2C/ 07

INVASIONIN OFNATURE

Past.
Present.
The uncertain future.
It’s just you and me in this world
I will follow you, no matter who you are.
I will follow you, no matter where you are.
I will follow you, and try to befriend you at all means.

In this long winding path, where the end lies uncertain and unseen,
I will accompany you, with glimpse of light shining your path bright.
I will accompany you, with beautiful sights and scents along the way.
I will accompany you, ignoring this grayish path that gets between us.
Lighten you up at times.
Mock at you at times.
Cry with you at times.

........................I am MOTHER NATURE………………..

Epilogue
The above tree-shaped poem is based on Shape poetry, also known as Concrete poetry. The title was constructed in such a way that the fonts of certain letters are emphasised, in this case, the letters "N" and "O" are emphasised to signify the importance of not invading Mother Nature.
Majestic trees and flowers accompanied me while I was walking along this concrete path at the Botanical Gardens. It was the faint scent of fragrance that led me to think deeply on how to portray Nature and acts of Man in a picture. As such, I waited for the clouds to give way to the Sun so that the Sun’s rays can “flow” onto the path through the canopy of the trees causing the sunlight to look as if it was scattered on the path, guiding my way, where the end of this path is unknown to me. To me, there are 2 types of invasions to nature. On the concrete path, there were a few ferns and young plants growing on it, creating cracks, this signifies the “invasion of Nature”. Another type would be the “invasion in Nature”, signifying clearing how humans often go over our natural boundaries. Take for example, the pollutions that we have caused due to irresponsible acts of humans; disposing of chemicals illegally, increasing our carbon footprint, burning of forests to clear land, and many more.
Thus, through this poem, I would like to express to the readers that Nature is a wild thing. Whatever happens, it will always come back. However, even if it comes back, there are scars left sometimes and those will probably last forever.

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I thought it might be fun to have a short haiku on the insects seen at the Botanical Gardens, as we do not often take notice of the little things which are also part of nature.

Good day, dragonfly,

my special helicopter.

I am a rich man.

*

Right, dear damselfly,

do not trust superheroes.

Hide! It's Batman.

Teo Wan En 2D'07

Haiku- forest

Deep in the forest
There but not seen the wind weeps
Time to start anew.


Epilogue:

This picture was taken along the rainforest trail in the botanic gardens. As we were along the rainforest trail, it was quiet and calm. It bought me great joy and I felt at ease throughout the whole rainforest trail. I felt that this is related to Man and Nature which we learnt about in term 1. We are supposed to be in tune with nature, united as one with nature, showing due respect to nature.

However, we are now concerned only about our materialistic needs and see little use of nature. Thus, we do not conserve or protect out environment, and instead, continue with our exploitation of nature like deforestation and pollution. We should not continue down this destructive path and instead, feel remorseful and start reflecting about how we have been abusing and exploiting nature.

The nature is ours to possess, cherish, and protect, and not to pollute, exploit, nor neglect. It’s time to start anew and start being environmental friendly and play a part for our nature.

By: Teo Wan En
2D'07

Limeng 2C/07

The Relationship Which Never Ends

Day by day, we grow closer.
Love between us shall never waver.
Within thy presence I feel comfort.
But lost not for this is without effort.

In thy shadow I shall be,
Steal not twine limelight I will,
Only the stars in my dreams I shall be,
For never can I outshine thee.

Jealousy soon begins to grow.
For longer the distance between us grows.
Never will I sink that low.
To thy to ever rule the show.

Around us the commoners are.
But yet still we look like we’re from afar.
Similar to them we are not,
Closer to each other definitely not.

Forever in the shadow I shall be.
Faithful I shall be to thee.
Helping thee through every tunnel.
Hiding my emotions I will do.

Friendship still lasts forever more,
For love for thee is always strong.
Jealousy shall not waver my heart,
Love you as much since the start.


Epilogue:

The poem was inspired by the picture posted above; at first glance the focus of the picture would be on the main yellow flower. However when I took a second look I noticed that there was another one behind it. The poem describes the “relationship” of the two flowers. One flower is in the limelight while the other is in the shadow. This provoked my thought and made me realise how similar nature and man are, for a relationship to work there must always be one who is willing to be self sacrificial so that it can grow. The flowers are also surrounded by leaves (commoners) and despite large quantity; they still cannot hide or blend in. Thus they become something like roses among the thorns which is often applicable to us as often in life despite us trying to fit in we are all unique in a certain way and will shine and stand out no matter what.

Lim Xin Yi 2D'07

Nature’s Orchard Road

Walking round’ nature’s orchard road,

Under a vast canopy of trees

Where the path of men and nature meet

Footprints, lilies, orchids and garden tools

The harmonious music of nature thrives



Walking round’ nature’s orchard road

As much as the alluring sight beholds

It is strictly reserved for viewing pleasure

Those precious beauties can’t be priced tag glued

For buying away the priceless experience is just too cruel

Epilogue:

What first sparked me to write this poem was the sight of the ‘orchard road’ sign in botanical gardens. (I do not have a photo of the 'orchard road' sign) I felt that walking down the paths of botanical gardens was like window shopping in orchard road. However instead of enjoying life in one of Singapore most crowded and vibrant streets, we are instead enjoying the smoothing and peaceful images that nature brings to us. While walking, I also saw many combinations of both man and nature. In today’s society, it is very hard to find combinations of both men and nature and not to say places of nature that are untouched by men. However, I feel that the way nature and men coexist in the botanical gardens a very consoling sight. This is because in society today, there is no way that men can survive without technology even if he/she is not willingly. However just making the effort of letting nature coexist with men is really enough to let ourselves to be more in touch with nature and really the minimal that we can do to try and preserve mother nature as we improve our standards of living. Lastly, the second stanza of the poem is talking about nature being priceless. This is also a difference I felt between orchard road and botanical gardens. We cannot buy nature out of botanical gardens like how we buy things from orchard road. Nature is far too precious to be bought and no matter how small each member of is, they each worth what money cannot buy. For example, once nature is destroyed, no matter how much money we are willingly to pay to buy it back will be of no use already.

Darren Lim 2B'07

Of Unimaginable Wonder

As we stop to admire the beauty of life
As we watch flowers bloom from buds
Feelings from within comes alive
As we go dwell deeper into our hearts

Still no one can phantom such awesome wonder
One of great might and power
Stop for awhile and ponder
Of to whom it glowers

A look of indisputable radiance
Brightens this gloomy world
A world with unsolvable tensions
And quarrels and conflicts in the whirl

Through each petal showers pulchritudinous
As it livens a dampen mood
Away with morose, away with ruefulness
Be gone with insufferable disputes

Giving thanks for such gloriousness
As each reaches for the heavens

As we take one last glance
Creation of such craftsmanship
Of such unique balance
Where colours, feelings all run deep

Epilogue:
My inspiration for this poem was these set of unique flowers. When i first saw them, i thought they particularly stood out from the other flowers as they grew in clusters and bore such a radiant shade of red. Also, upon first sight, the first thought was that they were extending their reach up to the heavens, as if glorifying the wonders of God's mighty creation. The poem depicts the blissfulness of dwelling in the beauty of God's creation and as we admire his power and wonder and shows how by dwelling in such beauty we are able to escape from the world's pains and negativity. How simple colours could paint the emotions in our heart and how these emotions make us who we are. The poet who probably inspired me would be Samuel Taylor Coleridge for he too glorifies God for the beauty and sacredness of nature. Similarly, nature to him too is a form of escapism from the real world.

Denise Wong, 2B/07

Waltz; tango; dance into the light
Listen to the mechanized robots squall
Fight for your freedom from the darkening night

The gods are furious at Mother Nature’s plight
Unleashed, their wrath resemble a concrete wall
Waltz; tango; dance into the light

Why compromise your pride
Instead let’s all stand proud and tall
Fight for your freedom from the darkening night

Time to take up the fight
No longer an option to stall
Waltz; tango; dance into the light

Let’s show Mankind our might
No more leeway to bend over and fall
Fight for your freedom from the darkening night

By the horizons so near yet far in our sight
Let respect and liberation be achieved by one and all
Waltz; tango; dance into the light
Fight for your freedom from the darkening night

Epilogue:

This poem was inspired by the photo posted above, as I was surprised to see these plants growing in such orderly and tall rows. At first glance, this reminded me of a SAF military division – the plants seemed so rigid, so firm, much like a division of soldiers poised and ready for their colonel’s command. In this case, I used the photo as a comparison to Mother Nature getting ready her ‘army’ to defend themselves against further commercialization and to start fighting back against mankind, and not let Man trample all over her carelessly and thoughtlessly.

I knew a wise man,

he once said to me,

don't let them go.

The shady forest,

the dew kissed grass,

the bright blue sky.

This April dream,
this refreshing memory
my long awaited reprieve

Through each passing day,

I live my life away,

Just like my April dream.

There’s a warm wind that blows,

and warms my very soul,

rejuvenating my spirits.

I want to go,

where it always shines,

just like in my dreams.

Where skies of blue,

and little children play

their whole lives away.

Follow your heart’s voice,

dare to dream and live big,
Don’t be afraid of the unknown.

Run into the wilderness,

away with the wind that blows.

To the beauty that only shows,

in my lovely April dream.

‘Don’t let them go’,
The wise man said
‘I won’t I swear’
My heartfelt promise.

And so I urge you all,
Listen to this wise man
Dream, and dream BIG
Live, and live life to the fullest!

Epilogue:

This tiny ant that was crawling about on the leaves of the plant gave me such hope, it had fallen from one of the higher branches of the plant, yet it got up and continued its journey, apparently unharmed. The ant is such a tiny creature, yet it has the courage to venture out into the unknown world. I admire their bravery, they live out their short lives to the fullest, making the best out of what they have. In this poem, the speaker meets a wise man who tells him to hold on to his dreams and fulfill them, not to leave them stagnant till they disappear. I believe that everyone should dare to dream and dare to live, after all, we only live life once. As the singer Queen once sang, ‘This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us.’

Denise Wong, 2B/07

Vivian Goh 2B/07

Haiku - Sundial

The shadow tells me
Nature and Science are merging
Two working as one


Epilogue:
This picture provoked my thinking of how Science and Nature can work in harmony. Science, in this case, is the sundial, which scientists of the past have created to tell the time. This creation, however, cannot work alone. It needs the help of the Sun. The position of the Sun will cause the Sundial to cast a shadow. This allows people of the past to tell the time of the day. Today instead of using the sundial, use technology like clocks and watches. We do not use the sundial anymore. Seeing this, perhaps people today have forgotten that the technologies we are using today are all aided by Nature. Nature has helped us to create new inventions to further help mankind.
Romantic poet, William Wordsworth, also mentioned about Nature being Man’s teacher and guide in his poems. Contrary to his thinking, I believe that Nature and Science can work together and not contradict.

Done by:
Goh See Chee Vivian
2B/07

Edwin Lee 2C/07

MYSTERY

The mystery that you withhold,
The mystery that we have not discovered

Where’s the thrill? Where’s the suspense?
If we can see through it all,
Through the densely packed trees,
Down the road of the unknown.

One day, the trees would be gone;
The road would be gleaming and black.
Nature would be tarnished
Who is the culprit?

The mystery that you tried to withhold,

The mystery that we have murdered.

The picture above was taken when I was reflecting while walking along the tropical rainforest trail. The first thought that came into my mind was the mystery that nature actually possesses, something that we have yet to discover.

However, another thought came to mind, which is the exploitation of nature by humans. In term 1, we learnt about Man and Nature, and that Man has been exploiting nature for progress. I imagine that in years to come, it is impossible for the scene in the picture to remain as it is now. It would be transformed completely with roads and buildings.

Done By:
Edwin Lee
2C/07

Say Xian Jue 2C

Nature Poem

Darkening dead trees

leaves outstretched

rooted to the earth

dying to be heard.


Ravenous fire blaze

sent trees shivering

helpless and desperate

all burnt to ashes.


When wrath of nature is cast on man

they start to panic

all hopes were dashed

it was all too late.


When end is drawing near

man regrets

helpless and desperate

waiting for miracle.

Epilogue

While at the botanic gardens, i was dismal by the fact that singapore had so few nature reserves and only one botanic garden. There used to have myraid forests here, however, with the development of the country, most of the forests had been cut down or burnt down to clear land for industrialization and urbanization. I felt deplorable for the fact that there are so few natural forests and man often neglet nature. Nature had sent its warnings to man to protect and love it. Without it, man will be nearing the end of the world. Thus i feel that we should learn to appreciate and love nature more and try to protect it from being destroyed.

Xian Jue (2C)

Nicolette Teo 2C/07

Prologue
People nowadays are lead fast paced lives. This is especially true for people living in sophisticated cities and Singapore is no exception. We are often so results oriented and want instant gratification that we almost always forget the small details in life that make it so incredible and wondrous. This photograph shows the delicate touches of nature that we rarely notice. As compared to vast and endless horizons or towering mountains, this picture depicting a spider crawling across a leaf seems insignificant, but is an integral part of nature nonetheless.

Steadily
Surely
Confidently
Inching,
Edging
Across the bouncing weightless leaf
Of bright green.

Like a pirate walking the plank
Or an acrobat doing the tight rope
But never falling.
No cheers or applause for the spider
Going on its daily routine
unnoticed

Louise Tan 2B/07

Hand in hand, we shall

Thread nature's path under the golden sun

Sharing its breaths of bliss


In this photo, the newly-wed couple is my muse for this short and simple poem. When I first saw this scene, I was touched by the ambience: peaceful and full of bliss. This poem talk about the couple's feelings of bliss as they step into marriage. The natural surrounding gives the photo a touch of serenity and simplicity. Imagine if the background behind this couple was a bustling city- the picture would then give us an entirely different feeling. It wouldn't be as beautiful.



Nature is miraculous. It has a power to affect our moods. Sometimes nature makes us feel at peace and happy. There are times when I seek nature for refuge when I feel frustrated. Nature is a beauty in itself. For me, every new experience with nature makes that perception even stronger.



Ps./ Isn't it a tragedy to see this beauty getting destroyed in the name of progress?

Toh Chia Li 2C/07

The Ficus

Eight hundred members in family,
Deja vu.
But each a unique individual,
All with different determinations to survive.

Staring from Adam and Eve,
The grandmother told tales for generations,
And providing much to mankind,
Never has the tale or the giving ended.

The root to all determination lies underground.
Ficus the tree,
Family with members of warrior knights.


Ficus is a genus which has about 800 species of woody trees,shrubs,vienes,epiphytes. All the trees almost look alike; however, each type of tree has a different characteristic and a different lifespan. The tree are widely cultivated since ancient time for its fruit. This is one of the key survival to man kind as it was a source of food for over centuries. Ficus religiosa, a member of the ficus family, is also one of the oldest living plant found in the world today. Another species, the Ficus carica tree, was the first tree cited in the bible, having Adam and eve using the fid leaves to cover themselves upon discovering themselves naked. The fig tree has very strong roots which have helped the tree to grow strong, thus a comparison is made to that of a warrior knight as they have a strong willpower.

Toh Chia Li 2C/07

Melissa Fok 2B/07

It was thin and growing so tall
That many people all looked in awe
Strong winds and thunder storms
Giving up? Changing form?
Never! For it refuses to fall

This tree caught my attention because it was so thin and tall! It stood above all the other trees, and it was the most outstanding amongst the many trees around it. This tree being so tall and thin makes it appear frail. This led me to think that this tree, even though it was thin, it must have withstood many storms so that it is still standing.
Nature can be a great teacher to man. This tree inspired me to think, that we have to overcome hurdles that life throws at us, to continue learning and growing. For us to outshine others and for people to look at us in “awe”. We must not give up, and must “refuse to fall”.

Crystal Lim TA2D'07

I am

I am the motion of the wind,

that rustles through the leaves.

I am the grass, a simple sphere of green,

that entertains the butterflies and bees.

I am the seeds,
which grows into every flower, plant and tree.
I am the gigantic tree,
which provides shelter, home and beauty.

I am the tranquility of the water,

which sets your mind a free.

I am the leaves that passes swiftly in the water,

flowing with the stream.

I am the essence of all that's living.

as you travel through the garden,

get to know me, treasure me.

I am nature, i am living,

there isn't another.

I am inspired by William Wordsworth's poem and the theme : Man and nature.
Nature is almost everything around us.
through my poems, i would like to adress that nature is actually all around us. However, how many of us would actually stop to take notice?
Nature is the essence of living and there will not be another once it is destroyed.

I am the motion of the wind,

that rustles through the leaves.

I am the grass, a simple sphere of green,

that entertains the butterflies and bees.

critical study Chua Shi Yan 2C/07

HIDDEN HOUSE

This picture is taken in the Botanic Garden. It shows a man-made building which is similar to a house hidden in the midst of a forest where tall trees surround it. The trees are so tall that they cover much of the sunlight showering onto the house and making it hard to even notice the building from the point of the view of the photo taken.

The greenery took up much of the picture. The trees seem to be squashing the building which was supposedly to be big, resulting in the building stuck in the middle of the huge trees. This shows that the power of nature is always over man and is unpredictable. When man builds a building on a piece of land, they can never expect what nature will grow to surround it with. The power of nature is so strong that it is able conquer man and leave it to nowhere to go. Man should not go against it or risk being stuck with no choices, no ways to go out.

Also not much lighting is shown in the picture due to the trees could also signify that nature is able to shadow what man is capable to do. Man may try to play God using Science, but nature is able to outdo man unexpectedly in its mighty ways.





SUNSHINE SMILES
This is another picture taken outside the National Orchid Garden. It is chosen as it is the only group picture we took and shows that man can coexist with nature.


Humans have been living in a man-made environment and taking pictures with man-made things. However, in this picture, with the orchids as background, both man and nature merge together. The smiles of the people in the picture will be the first to catch the attention of the viewers of the picture. They lighted up the whole picture, with the orchids adding more colour shows to it. Everyone enjoyed the journey in Botanic Garden and appreciated the nature. Man needs nature and nature needs man. A walk in nature calms one’s tired mind and in the midst of flowers and tree, everyone is able to gain exulting sights of the scenary. The colours of the orchids also add on to the optimistic atmosphere. They merge in well with the wide smiles of the people. This shows that only when both man and nature coexist, then there is happiness.

The path behind them with trees surrounding it shows no end, which signifies life as a long path that each of them has to go on together with nature. The path was lighted up which shows the hope that man could better appreciate nature and do not carry out anymore destruction to it.




MIGHTY TREE

Inevitably, it is one of the attractions in the botanic garden since it is of a height of around 47 metres. Anyone would be overwhelmed upon seeing such a tree. In the picture, the people seem so small that at times viewers do not even notice them.

It shows the impressive power of nature to be able to produce such a tree. It has to be there for uncountable years to be able to grow till this height. On the other hand, man is unable to do many things which the nature is able to carry out. For example, most of the trees in man-made parks are small and similar, whereas for such a tree in the picture it would not be grown by man but by the forces of nature.

The tree is so huge that it is impossible to capture the top of the tree. The people could also go unnoticeable. The little people in the picture also signify that man is incomparable to nature in the picture of universe. Man’s capability is so small that it is not able to compare with nature. Nature is always able to exceed man hence it is impossible for man to fight against nature, just like the little people in the picture is unable to push down the huge tree.

The tree outdid all its counterparts to grow till such a height to seek the attention of everyone, to be able to reach out for the sky, like the representative of nature in connection with heaven. This shows how nature is attention-seeking. It wants to be make known to man, who slowly has forgotten about nature. With technology, man has carried out destructive actions to nature, in order to progress. Few have been to a man-made park or even the nature reserve. They have lost the connection with nature which was the strongest in the primitive times.

Chan Shu Fen 2B/07 Always Faithful

Standing faithfully
The tree will not turn its back
Asking you to stay-
Calm in a raging whirlwind
...ageing of the centuries!

Epilogue:

I wrote this poem according to the style and form of a tanka. My inspiration of this poem comes from the picture above of a huge tree standing sturdily in the sun. Personally, I like this picture alot, whenever I look at it a feeling of calmness will just overwhelm me. When i saw it, I knew I just had to take a picture of it. Its shows me the beauty of nature, how serene and calm it is in this busy and changing world today.

The tree looks so strong and sturdy, its branches seem to be reaching out, asking me to stay and rest under its bark. Thus my first two lines, which tells of how the tree is ever faithful and no matter rain or shine, it will never turn its back on you. It tells of how unlike man who is changing every single day, the tree will always be the same. We can always turn to the tree for support and solitude because it will never turn away from us and will surely ask us to stay. The tree is always the calm one, it is the only never changing fixture in my childhood in spite of the everchanging world. In this world, every single day new inventions are made, new things are being discovered, people and things change but the tree will never. Whenever we feel down or feel suppressed by the world, we can always go to the tree to seek safety, emotional support.

Unlike society, it will never reject us. Though it has been there for ages, its getting old but it will always stay the same, it will always be there for you. That is the difference between man and nature. Man can always find comfort in nature that we sometimes are not able to find in one another. Friends can change to become enemies in a day, but not nature, nature will never turn its back on you. As long as you earn to understand and be with it, it will always be there for you.

Ryan Seah 2D/07:Critical Study

The picture exhibits rows of glass flasks with plant tissue being cultivated in them. This signifies how the application of science affects the natural processes in our modern society today. Without the human tampering of such greenery, they would be left to propagate and grow naturally without being disrupted. However, this picture illustrates the point of how the role of science has become greater than that of nature. The implication of this is that we are given the ‘creative’ license to delve and dabble with the forces of nature, by having authority to be able to control the various stages of plant growth. This also leads us to question the authenticity and origin of this natural entity. Is this plant tissue still recognized as natural flora, or is it an artificially created man-made product? Nature is now viewed as a platform for the furthering of scientific advances, which vastly contrasts with the views of the Romantic poets, that Nature is divine and should deserve respect.


This picture displays a man-made pavilion structure beside a lake. This exemplifies how people today are able to appreciate and gain rejuvenation from the beauty that Nature holds. The pavilion is positioned beside the lake, so that visitors of the garden that are exhausted after long hours of walking around are able to rest, and take their time to admire the natural surroundings. This portrays how we are able to still gain restoration of our tired souls after living busy and hectic lives in our urban landscape by just pausing and having a gander at the natural beauty that is around us. This is symbolic because though in our current world today people are busy pursuing material possessions and luxurious commodities and we have lost our connection with nature, we are still able to gain enlightenment and relaxation just by taking a look at the beauty of nature that exists around us. This shows that Nature still plays an important role in our lives today.

The picture shows a metallic structure that is placed within a plot of natural greenery. The symbolism of this is that though the piece of artwork is crafted from artificial means by materials like metal, the aesthetic beauty is complementing to that of the natural setting. This shows how beauty is synonymous in the urban landscape we live in today, whereby such contrasting elements of beauty are able to come together in harmony and create a piece of art that we can marvel at. This shows that though Nature and man-made beings come from different origins, they are still able to work in unison to construct beauty as one property rather than having to categorise it as being natural and artificial, that people and nature can blend into one entity and work together.

Loh Han Le 2C/07

It is the natural instinct of a plant to grow extend its roots as far as possible to look for water so as to ensure survival.
When i saw this picture, i was reminded of the thirst a the plant to survive, and Nature's power to destroy a man made structure. No matter how strong a man made structure is, it can always be destroyed by Nature. There have been many disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis to prove this point.
This is something we see frequently on the roads of Singapore, but its not something we really think about.
This poem i have written is a shape poem. In my poem, i hope the reader can visualise how the roots extend into the road when they see the 'e's extending into the word 'cement'.

Loh Han Le
2C/07

Nicholas Eng 2B/07

Life and bleak as synonyms

Why are days, oh so awfully bleak?

The end seems nigh but I am so weak

Darkness has come and taken away

The spirit I had, to move on I say

Oh God please do, help me reach the peak

Though the road ahead’s nothing unique

It has the means to tweak my physique

My heart and mind is full of dismay

Oh so awfully bleak

I see a light that’s twinkling to speak

To hurl at me depressing critique

I wipe a tear and try to display

The cheery side, soon to fade away

Oh so awfully bleak

EPILOGUE

I wrote the poem life and bleak are synonyms in the poetry style Rondeau. I particularly like this picture because of the emotions that are invoked in me the minute i lay my eyes on it. The dark and uncertain pathway seems to illustrate the journey of life where one's future is vague and many a times we see ourselves changing to the situation. We tend to put on a front, a happy cheerful front, when inside a little of us dies each time we walk through the path of life. Man and nature is closely related to my poem because nature tends to have the ability to tweak our feelings and that is how we relate to nature. The issue of nature being superior to man such that we are unable to control our lives but instead rely on nature and allowing ourselves to be influenced by nature. I did not get inspired by any poem per se, but rather it reminded me of a famous poet, William Wordsworth's strong love for nature and also his deep feelings for nature as being as superior as God was.

Tan Chen Yin 2D/07

Lost child why d’you sob
Hush, for you’re living in me
For I’m your refuge
You may have forsaken me
Sadly so, we're intertwined

The inspiration of this tanka (takes the form of 5-7-5-7-7) comes from this picture, which depicts the boy shielded by a tall tree with extending branches from the hot sun. It suggests a protective cover and a surrounding force.

The tree in the picture could be a representation of nature, while the boy, a representation of mankind. Nature is all around us, yet we neglect; we take it for granted; we even trample on it. It is always there, waiting for us to look out for its beauty, to appreciate its wondrous existence and to realise that we are in tune with it. Neither is more superior than the other, for nature and mankind co-exist. However in society today, we may have forgotten to stop in our tracks to consider this. Instead, we try to detach ourselves from nature, which ironically, is exactly what we are eternally bounded to.

An Ode To Hard Work

An Ode to Hard Work

The human world split by a barrier

Not by a thin line or a glass mirror

But by a mountain with an up and down

Those of talent against those of hard work

One keeps striving and continues to strive

Reaching the goal, almost there, then surpassed

Out of the blue, comes a star shining bright

Genius blazing away

Passes his counterpart with naught a hint

Of the struggle to challenge those above

Looking on in utter defeat, hard work

Utter humiliation, dejection

Thoughts reigned supreme of ‘why him, why not me’

Going home, with that thought stuck in his mind

He catches sight of two fledglings flying

Sees his own life reflected in their flight

One keeps flying high, higher and higher

The other near the ground

Laughing at this royal rule of the world

He solemnly walked away from his dreams

The following day he meets the same birds

Looks down first with naught a sight of a bird

Looks up to the heavens, sees salvation

A bird flying high above the other

With wounds all over its tiny body

The miracle he never did, it did

Flying high with the mark of a victor

Hard work had genius beat

A new rule was formed that day for humans

Hundred times of hard work beats a genius

Epilogue:

First, I would like readers to look at the picture. The picture illustrates a point mentioned in my poem but the difference is that I continued on it. There is a fully bloomed flower near the end of the stem and the pictures displays it near the top, thus it gives of the impression of the flower climbing to greater heights. The flower symbolizes hard work, the endless of hours of work put into getting to that level. However, after trying so hard, another flower started to grow right above it, symbolizing talent. Although the first flower tried so hard, it can never surpass the flower right above it from the very start, symbolizing that talent is better than hard work from the moment of birth. That was what my first two stanzas described. This was not my only inspiration as i am basing this on people i know who are working very hard to beat those with talent

As a result, one of the main themes in my poem has to do with a favorite theme of John Keats that is conflicting issues. The obvious issues at conflict here are hard work and talent. I enjoyed Keats conflicting themes has it brought bought sense of the argument to me giving me a wider and broader view of his poems. To me, a one-sided poem holds no potential for comparing your choice of interest against another theme so as to prove and regurgitate your point more strongly.

In this poem, I tried to employ poetic elements of an ode in my poem but only partially succeeded. I used iambic pentameters with iambic trimeters on the 8^th line not only to keep to the structure of an ode but also to illustrate a point of my poem. If you read the poem carefully, you will realize that the 8^th line of the 1^st stanza talks about talent winning, the 8^th line of the 2^nd stanza talks about hard work losing and the 8^th line of the last stanza relates the occurrence of hard work beating talent. I wanted to reinforce the point of endless tries to surpass those currently above you.

Roy, 2B/07

Shannon Lee 2D/07 (Poem:"Majestic Old Tree")

Majestic Old Tree

Majestic old tree, standing tall,
On which tiny ants crawl.
Kindness in his heart, unselfish soul,
The old tree serves all.

Giver of air, fruit and shade,
What a wonder the Almighty made!
Alas, greed took hold,
Man did not hesitate to tip you over.

Here I stand looking at you,
Miserable shadow of your former glory.
Inches from the ground, sorrowful stump,
How I wish you were tall again.

Epilogue

My inspiration for this poem was a mango tree that used to grow outside my house.
When I went to the fruit section of the botanical gardens, I could not help but remember the tree.

The mango tree was already growing when I moved in to my home, and it regularly produced fruit, which would be shared amongst my family members. The tree was also home to a colony of ants and visiting birds. I was quite pleased to see how an ant and a tree, with such a great difference in size, can still manage to co-exist, whereas man nowadays are unappreciative towards nature, with some people even going to the extent of exploiting nature for their own benefit by performing activities such as logging and forest clearing.

A year ago, the tree stopped producing fruit, and my father decided to cut it down to make way for a new tree. Till date the new tree has failed to blossom, which is perhaps nature’s way of avenging itself.

Denie's Natures call : a critical study

Picture 1: waterfall/

Yes it is a waterfall. However perfectly crafted, flawless and proportionate it is, this wonder is incomparable to what true nature had given us. This picture shows the effects of man’s intervention in nature, of how man’s desire to replicate it and reproduce such beauty given to humans by God. These intentions have been iterated in this picture when man attempts to produce nature’s miracle, in this case, the waterfall. How could such creations bring calmness and happiness to the human soul when there was an obvious difference between the artificialness of man’s creation and the reality of nature’s true form? The waterfall’s man-made features shows that man has become too obsessed in finding a way to bring about new forms of nature that they had forgotten the purpose for its existence. With the advancement of technology, men had unconsciously put aside his ‘soul’ and have totally taken advantage of the gift that nature brings. Greed and desire had blocked man’s sight towards the meaning and purpose of nature. The future of the appreciation of nature was in man’s hands.

Picture 2: swan lake/

The swan lake? The vast mass of water which covers most of the area shows the lake with a swan statue in the middle of it. A Wedding couple was having a photo taking session in the midst of nature. What did man regard nature as? This picture clearly shows the other side of the story, where man shows his appreciation for nature. Man relates a major event in his life, marriage, to the wonders of nature. He shares one of the happiest days of his life amidst something so natural, and unconsciously developing the love and fondness towards the beauty it brings. This shows that man has not completely forgotten his appreciation for nature. The effects of globalization have indeed played a huge part in man’s life especially in terms of the advancement of technology which in turn affects the environment. Despite the tremendous pressure upon man to improve their lives with technological advancement, they still make time for nature therapy. What was going to happen to nature in the future? Would it be taken lightly or maybe not exist at all?

Picture 3: Environment-friendly Students/

The picture shows a group of students from Temasek Junior College posing for the camera amidst nature. This shows the continuing effort of man to revive nature and to bring awareness of its existence to the increasingly egoistic world. Besides that, it also tells the tale of the mutual understanding between man and nature and how living in harmony was not a myth. However the shadow of complacency still lurks behind man, as they move to their technologically advanced lives and become lesser and lesser in tune with nature. They have forgotten that nature was the only natural aspect of life which lives among us. This picture shows the motivation and spirit of man in their worldwide effort to bring understanding and soul back to the human frame. The willingness of the students to take a visual memory with nature shows the acceptance of nature in man’s lives. What was to happen to nature in the years to come? It was something that had to be decided by man. Sooner or later.~

done by evolution92.

Jolene Tan 2B/07

We Were Meant To Live For So Much More

Clusters of people, many a voice
I let the others hand me my choice
I walked through life without a care
To what life would be without these people there
I blended in, I refused to stand out
The thoughts in my head were all full of doubt
What did I want to do with my time?
When was I going to let myself shine?
Potential, like a bud not yet in bloom
Potential, to improve, yes, there was room,
So why did I let myself down so much for?
When we were meant to live, for so much more

I was inspired by this photo the most, out of the many pictures I had gotten out of the trip to the Botanic Gardens. When I look at this photo, the first thing I noticed were the four or five stalks of ixoras that stood out further than the rest. I thought about it a little, and I realized that this is much like life as we know it.
Everyone may do their part, and do what is expected of them, but only those who put in the extra effort, and do more than what is expected of them, are recognized. The idea of Man and Nature strikes me in a way that made me view man as an aspect of nature. The Romantics of that time thought of nature as a source of inspiration and life. In a slightly different way, I related Man to Nature, by using Nature as a symbol of a person’s life.

Jolene Tan Shi Yun
2B/07

Sarena 2C'07

Inertia

Cries ring through darkness

Invisible to the world

Lone in a sequestered place

The end, imminent

Oh light! Kill my apathy

Mere deception or true hope?

Epilogue:

This poem is written in form of a Sedôka, a form of Waka, which is in turn a genre of Japanese poetry. The pattern is 5-7-7-5-7-7.

A lone soul who is attempting to navigate his way out of the dense forest and yet, his attempts are futile, for he is engulfed by the darkness as he struggles to persevere on. Unable to foresee what events are to unfold, he continues aimlessly, enveloped with both frustration and desperation. Morbid thoughts begin to invade his mind, and all hope seems lost, a glimmer of light descends down from the Heavens above, as if light was the messenger of divinity, leading him to a place where he can rest and ponder on the reason to his plight. As he contemplates on his dismayed existence, the light becomes more intense and it makes his perspective clearer. However he begins to doubt if this new found sense of direction would last and save him from falling deeper into the abyss. This scene is what the image depicts in my mind’s eye.

The scene portrayed is a representation of the power of nature, whereby it has the ability to influence the thoughts and emotions of an individual. In Mary Shelley’s work, Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein often has he mood affected by nature; feeling a “tingling long-lost sense of pleasure” while being surrounded by majestic mountain scenery and within a short period of time, the “rain was pouring in torrents, and thick mists hid the summits of the mountains, so that I even saw not the faces if those mighty friends”. Nature becomes a manifest, for it can either make Frankenstein feel joy or remind him of guilt, shame and regret.
The isolation of the bench in the picture against the backdrop of vegetation in the picture also suggests the insignificance of mankind and his inventions as compared to marvellous creations of God.

Tay Shi Ling 2D/07 (Poem: "Hear me")

Title: Hear me

O’ delicate flower!
Soft as velvet, smooth and sleek
Plains are adorned with its beautiful colours
And the air is scented with its fragrance.

A lover's gift; a wedding wreath;
A patient’s comfort; a visual distress
I am a happy memory;
One of those many expressions

I dance to the rhythmic swaying of the grass
And smiling gaily at them
But those towering giants;
They do not understand

Hear me speak, hear my cries!
Those daemonic destroyers deny me my life
Neglecting my feelings and ignoring my agony
As they trample over me
How insignificant they see of me

I shed my tears of morning dew,
As I stay till dawn to cry
Please don’t neglect me
I mumbled a sigh


Epilogue

The inspiration for this poem is none other than William Wordsworth’s “Daffodils”.
The thematic concern brought up in this poem is actually Man’s disconnection with nature.
Humans are defacing products of nature, in this case, flowers. The reason to why Man does such inhumane acts is because they feel more superior compared to Nature. It is dispiriting that man’s relationship with Nature has became a distant one compared to the Romantic period where they think see a dichotomy of Man and Nature and that they can ‘coexist’ harmoniously. Hence, we need to appreciate Nature, in order to revive and maintain the close relationship we have lost due to our hectic urban lifestyles and due to our 'superiority'.

And if you notice, I only dedicated 4 lines to the last stanza is about the feelings of the flower.
This is not a product of last minute work, but it’s because I want to show the irony that I, as a 'poet', a human being also disregard Nature and it’s feelings.

Tay YiJun 2C/07

Do they hate us because we talk,

Or do they hate us because we walk.

Or do they envy us, strange creatures,

Because we have toes and fingers,

Instead of green leaves and rocks!

When I first looked through the pictures we took during our leaning journey at the botanic gardens, a strange idea came to my mind. What if 'nature' was alive. Would 'nature' envy us, hate us, or laugh at us. I doubt this can ever be answered because trees can't talk, but it is something interesting to think about.

Also, I remembered a drawing I saw while eating at MacDonalds. It was a drawing of a tree, with the words 'the tree was so tall it touched the sky'. I was amazed by how something so simple could leave such an impact on me. I decided to write a simple poem, silly and childish. I decided to write it in the form of a limerick, with the AABBA rhyme scheme.