Edwin Soh TA2D/07

Amid the industries that poison our lands
Amid all those fumes
Amid the wars that ravage our lands
Amid all those flames
Amid the deaths that plagues our lands
Amid all those injustices
Amid the love that purifies our lands
Amid all those hopes
Amid the dreams which shapes our lands
Amid all those landscapes
Let peace reign forever in our lands

Epilogue:

When I first saw this sculpture of a mother lovingly embracing her son in the warmth of the Sun, it brought to my mind how simple happiness can be. It showed to me that happiness derives from the joys of love and hope, uncorrupted by the modern MTV world. I was then reminded of all the conflicts and the problems the world faced, and realized all of these problems could be easily dealt with, if everyone realized how simple happiness is.

Benedict Cho
TA2A/07




Climb on the steps
Reach into the realms of wonder webs -
The pathway to heaven


Epilogue:
I did not go to the botanic gardens so I went around to ask for pictures. As I was browsing through the pictures, I found this to be the most meaningful one. Based on this picture, it gives me a feeling that the steps are leading one to a higher level, as if it is the pathway to heaven. With these steps present in foreground of the nature, it tells me that there seems to be a connection between nature and somewhere beyond the boundary of nature which can be interpreted as the divine presence of heaven. These steps are represented in the picture as stool-like structures and these are made to shape like mushrooms or flowers. Thus, by incorporating the structure of the steps as part of the nature, it actually helps to bridge a gateway to the other far end of the world. Furthermore, the nature-like structure of the steps helps to blend into the background of all the trees and plants, allowing one to view it from a larger and more harmonious perspective.

Lee Dong Ying 2A/07

The above picture displays a pathway flanked on both sides by towering green trees. As seen in the picture, the greenery overshadows all the man-made features, the lamppost looks surprisingly miniature. Down the path, solid brown brick curbs are emplaced on both sides of the path between the trees and the pathway, and on the far end of the path a lone human can be visibly seen. The significance of this scene is of that of the disconnection in man’s relationship with nature. This disconnection is portrayed by the man-made barriers to hinder or completely block off the presence of nature, as seen in the picture, the brick curbs serve to block plants from growing close to the pathway, blocking nature’s interaction with mankind as he isolates himself. Also in this picture, some of the tall trees that have grown over the brick curbs converge over the pathway to provide shade against the sun’s tormenting rays of heat. Even so, these dissent trees are trimmed every now and then to ensure that they do no hinder a man’s path down the pathway. This pathway signifies the pathway of progress, the pathway of time which man travels down every now and then, and throughout this passage of time, nature has consistently provided man with protection against harm, against climate changes. Whilst mankind basks in the rich resources provided by nature, there is little hesitation to destroy something that made him so in the first place.

The above picture shows an extremely weathered mirror which still manages to somewhat serve its purpose to some extent as a mirror as it is able to reflect images of people with some clarity. At the bottom of the mirror where it is badly corroded by moisture contributed by rain, there are some colonies of dark green algae growing. These algae are thriving from the presence of the minerals which comes from the corroded part of the mirror. This displays a unique fusion between urban and nature, of which nature crosses over the boundaries and reclaims a part of what should have been natural. As this is only the initial stage, the mirror is still not completely destroyed by nature, and nature is able to flourish at one corner, but with the passing of time, nature will be able to reclaim whatever it loss without the intervention of mankind to stop it. However, this happens all too slowly, with mankind always being a step ahead of nature, mankind has to learn to balance this relationship, otherwise may soon be too left behind and never be able to reinstate itself to its former glory, or it may be obliterated completely.

The above picture shows a messy disorientated overgrowth of ferns and some trees. While this is seemingly unsightly when contrasted to the straight and rigid structure with uniform green tiled roofs at the background of the picture, it is the way that nature really is without intervention from mankind. This picture was taken at a deserted corner of the Botanic Gardens where lesser visitors would have come across this sight, this overgrowth of nature was just left the way it was, resulting which was that it was isolated from mankind’s definition of beautiful. There is little variety of colours in this picture which consists mostly of varying shades of green, unlike that of the never-ending fields of colourful blooming flowers which usually comes to mind whenever nature is mentioned. The significance of this is to contrast between the true form of nature and the altered form of nature that is catered to the taste of mankind and designed by him. The dominance of this artificial beauty can also be seen in the uniformly designed urban structures of today showing how unappreciative mankind is of nature and its ways.

Zhihong
2A'07

The only lily visible in the small yet spacious pond

When I see this scene, I recalled last time when I was in my grandma’s village when I am about 6 or 7 years old. What I remembered is a pond full of white lilies spreading from the middle to all edges of the pond.
Nature can be imitated but definitely not as perfect as the “true” nature. Much of the plants we see on ponds and the ground are planted from man, and even in the reserve parks in Singapore, most of the canopies are replanted. They may seem to be real to most of us, and this is partially due to not having direct experience from primary forests (untouched). This also shows how men are getting lost touch of true nature. With men losing touch of nature, people eventually get less knowledgeable to the truth of Nature.

That’s me in the picture, walking in the foot reflexology path.
I was walking on this path that is well known for its health care purposes. It brought me back of flashbacks to the white lily. I wonder how this path was firstly invented, I wonder how the people discover the benefits of this, I wonder if back then when man have no shoes, do they walk around on rough ground which are somewhat similar to this. I looked at the some of the worn out pebbles on the path. I again wondered if this is caused by people walking on it, or is it because of nature’s weathering.
Nature’s weather is definitely the most powerful force of nature, all matter found in our world are inevitably affected by weathering. No one can disagree from this. Even though technologies of man have advanced so much, nature is still equally existent as compared to millenniums before.

A bunch of students walking under the shelters of the tall and magnificent trees, the shade that these caring trees give them, “ahh…just so wonderful”
During the trip to the botanic gardens, all of us became tired during the amazing race, walking back from the tanglin zone of the Botanic Gardens, we walked past these trees. The wind that blow from in front and the shelter that the trees provided gave us relieve, and it gave us motivation to carry on.
When I looked at this picture once again, I realise how the trees and plants are so caring to living things, and it reflected on nature being so very important or, in a more materialistic way, very useful to us. Nature serves as air filters to regenerate fresh air to us, without plants, no human can survive once all oxygen is used up. Furthermore, it might actually be true that nature might be more important now as compared to the previous generations, and this being due to the increasing degree of pollutions and harmful emissions. Thus, we must even cherish the tiny bits of nature that is left for us and not destroying them just to suit economic progress.

Lee Dong Ying 2A/07

The above picture displays a pathway flanked on both sides by towering green trees. As seen in the picture, the greenery overshadows all the man-made features, the lamppost looks surprisingly miniature. Down the path, solid brown brick curbs are emplaced on both sides of the path between the trees and the pathway, and on the far end of the path a lone human can be visibly seen. The significance of this scene is of that of the disconnection in man’s relationship with nature. This disconnection is portrayed by the man-made barriers to hinder or completely block off the presence of nature, as seen in the picture, the brick curbs serve to block plants from growing close to the pathway, blocking nature’s interaction with mankind as he isolates himself. Also in this picture, some of the tall trees that have grown over the brick curbs converge over the pathway to provide shade against the sun’s tormenting rays of heat. Even so, these dissent trees are trimmed every now and then to ensure that they do no hinder a man’s path down the pathway. This pathway signifies the pathway of progress, the pathway of time which man travels down every now and then, and throughout this passage of time, nature has consistently provided man with protection against harm, against climate changes. Whilst mankind basks in the rich resources provided by nature, there is little hesitation to destroy something that made him so in the first place.

The above picture shows an extremely weathered mirror which still manages to somewhat serve its purpose to some extent as a mirror as it is able to reflect images of people with some clarity. At the bottom of the mirror where it is badly corroded by moisture contributed by rain, there are some colonies of dark green algae growing. These algae are thriving from the presence of the minerals which comes from the corroded part of the mirror. This displays a unique fusion between urban and nature, of which nature crosses over the boundaries and reclaims a part of what should have been natural. As this is only the initial stage, the mirror is still not completely destroyed by nature, and nature is able to flourish at one corner, but with the passing of time, nature will be able to reclaim whatever it loss without the intervention of mankind to stop it. However, this happens all too slowly, with mankind always being a step ahead of nature, mankind has to learn to balance this relationship, otherwise may soon be too left behind and never be able to reinstate itself to its former glory, or it may be obliterated completely.

The above picture shows a messy disorientated overgrowth of ferns and some trees. While this is seemingly unsightly when contrasted to the straight and rigid structure with uniform green tiled roofs at the background of the picture, it is the way that nature really is without intervention from mankind. This picture was taken at a deserted corner of the Botanic Gardens where lesser visitors would have come across this sight, this overgrowth of nature was just left the way it was, resulting which was that it was isolated from mankind’s definition of beautiful. There is little variety of colours in this picture which consists mostly of varying shades of green, unlike that of the never-ending fields of colourful blooming flowers which usually comes to mind whenever nature is mentioned. The significance of this is to contrast between the true form of nature and the altered form of nature that is catered to the taste of mankind and designed by him. The dominance of this artificial beauty can also be seen in the uniformly designed urban structures of today showing how unappreciative mankind is of nature and its ways.

Chiew Zhi Xin 2A'07

Mother Nature

My Supreme Mother
The bond between you and me
Will never falter

Epilogue:

The picture depicts a mother with her infant and of course, with nature in the background. The first idea that flashed through my mind was to relate nature to mother, just like the woman who takes great care of her child in the picture.

Like a mother who cares for her children, nature is the nurturer of all life living on this planet and provides all the necessities for survival. Hence, we ought to be grateful for mother’s nature unchanging and perpetual showers of love for us. Yet in return for her unconditional love, we can only offer her climate changes, pollutions, ozone depletion, land degradation and murdering her gradually.

With the advancement of humans, we frequently forget our connections with nature and disregard nature. Her offspring are simply too self-centered with improving the quality of their life with the wellbeing of their mother at stake.

Now, our mother nature is still enduring with what her children have done to her.

Our mother is in immense pain. Somebody please do something to save her.

Teo Chin Hwee 2A/07 (Poem)

A Walk In Nature

As I tread on the path,
The endless path that stretches out like eternity,
I embark on a journey
To discover the mysteries and marvels of nature.

Up in the sky,
The Sun shines in grace,
Clouds reveal a joyful face,
Birds soar and twitter in gay.

Down on the ground,
Ants work like workaholics,
Squirrels scamper here and there,
Shed leaves beautify the entire place.

The waterfall pours large squirts of water
That sparkle like gold,
When they beat on the surface of the pool below
They splatter and shower me with hope and joy.

The tall trees grow strong and healthy,
Blossom with flowers as they thrive and live.
The overstretching thick branches shade the grass,
Protect the animals,
Shelter the kids,
And tower over me.

A walk in nature
Unveils the beauty of the world,
Making me realize
Mother Nature is the home-place to everything!

Epilogue:
I was inspired to write this poem the moment I saw the photo of the meandering pathway, when browsing through the collection of photos taken during the trip. I then imagine how one can discover the ‘secrets of nature’ by walking through this pathway, for instance the beautiful waterfall, or perhaps the lively happenings, among living organisms, on the trees. Therefore, this poem presents the beauty of nature. It tells us that Nature is not just about, green trees, pretty flowers and other physical landscapes, but also animals, tiny insects, the sky or even human beings. In fact, Nature is where everything on earth belongs to. Just as how William Wordsworth was inspired by daffodils, I was inspired by the serenity and loveliness all around, in the Botanical Garden. Moreover, this poem portrays how man is connected to the surroundings. Little boys and girls play merrily under the shade of trees; sheets of water gives a sense of coolness which makes people feel refreshed and relaxed. Hence, the poem is written to encourage people to enjoy, appreciate the natural occurrences in Nature and be more passionate to find out more about the wonders of Nature.

Manaswi Singh 2A'07 Poem about Nature

Nature is our salvation
It is the light to our destination
It is the source of everything
And without it, we are nothing

Epilogue:
In this picture, it shows a passageway, where the gateway to the entrance is covered with leaves. At first glance, this would look like an ordinary pathway. However, to me, this picture is depicting that Nature is the reason for beginning of a pathway that Man has created for himself. It is the reason in the first place why Man can progress from a caveman society to a highly technologically advanced society. Without the trees that Nature provides us, we will not have wood for building houses and paper for writing and books. It seems that Nature is the source of Man’s development in life. The tools provided by Nature were the starting blocks to Man’s development to technology. It was the starting point that Man visited before he could continue on to his destination to greater heights. This made me realise that without the tools that Nature offers us, we would not be in the state we currently are. Hence, the poem was written to show the importance of Nature in our daily lives and also to persuade more people to appreciate Nature.

Serene Kwok (Critical Study)

Pathway through nature

This picture depicts lush and thick greenery of trees and shrubs on both sides of the man-made pathway. These trees provide humans with shelter and shade from the blazing sun giving us the much needed cool relief on a hot humid day. These trees if left on their own will be able to grow to it full potential with beautiful thick crowns. Nature has its own beauty and if left alone and untouched, the trees can blossom to it potential magnificence. In this case, the magnificent upright trees spread their crowns out to receive sunlight and at the same time returning the much needed oxygen back to nature, thus, playing an important role in keeping nature in balance.

The picture also depicts a man-made pathway cutting right through the trees. Man is expanding his space and is encroaching into nature. This path symbolizes that man is intruding into nature and is disrupting its peacefulness. This intrusion also symbolize that man is selfish as they do not care about the consequences of their actions and is blinded by his own gains. As urbanization continues, man has an increasing tendency to forget that the Mother Nature is the very reason why are surviving. Mother Nature provides us with the basic necessities that are crucial to our survival; however, we are so blinded by our relentless quest for progress that we gloss over these things as if they are no longer important to us. Not only that, we are also damaging nature in our quest for progress and comfort. However, the picture also shows that the surrounding magnificent trees are making a statement that they are resilient, and continue to survive well, even though man has tempered with it.

In any case, at the rate damage is taking place with urbanization; it is not surprising for one to wonder how long Mother Nature can sustain this damage?

Symbiosis

This picture depicts a flowering climber plant growing on a metal wire fence. As society urbanises it is not possible to leave nature untouched. The metal wire fence is a man-made object that is built on the patch of grass, surrounded by nature. Although this is intruding into nature’s path, the plant growing on it shows that nature has it own way of countering this intrusion and using it to its advantage. In this case, the climber plant is able to climb high above all the other surrounding plants, weeds and grasses which are also competing for sunlight. Therefore, with the metal fence in place, the climber plant can use it as a support to rise above the other plants and flourishes.

This demonstrates that the climber plant is surviving in a symbiotic nature with man. With plenty of sunlight, the plant is growing healthily and beautifully, providing man with a pleasant sight. Man is able to admire the plant’s beauty while unwittingly providing it with an advantage for survival. This therefore shows harmony between man and nature. In this tech-frenzy world, such things are important for us to hang on to in a bid to still be able to connect with nature. I am glad that this harmony can exist, and really hope that it will continue.


Controlling nature’s way

This is a walkway covered with a thick canopy of lush green leaves. Although this structure may not strike you as anything more than a shade for the walkway, it did however catch my attention because it is a not natural. Mother Nature has given us shelter from time immemorial. By creating a shelter using artificial means, man is actually trying to act as Mother Nature. However, man is imperfect in this role no matter how hard he tries to design the walkway to look natural. It is full of imperfections and the outcome looks contorted.

In the picture, the plants are cut and trimmed to fashion into a shelter supported by metal poles at the sides. Also, it is trimmed so that it will look neat and tidy, man’s definition of a ‘pleasing sight’ to visitors who pass by or use the shelter. However, this action is actually controlling nature’s way. Man tries to create something similar to what Mother Nature has provided us with; however, it is done through what man defines as beauty. Man tries to use plants instead of artificial materials, which shows attempts by man to be close to nature. However, in so doing, it shows man has, over the years, distant himself away from nature, as they cannot tell the difference between natural beauty and artificial beauty.

Serene Kwok

2A/07

Melvin Lim 2A'07

This is picture is of a path of which its sides are surrounded by two glass barrier which prevent plants from growing into the path, and atop both is a roof. The creation of this path is similar to how of which urban landscapes are created. First, a portion of nature is destroyed to make way for the construction of the landscape. The landscape which is created along with the plantation of certain plants to beautify the landscape has measures put in place to ensure that these plants do not invade the space that man has set aside for himself. Man then does his part to protect nature by placing protective measures in place as seen in this picture where the roof provides shelter for these plants that cannot get too much water. Sadly, the shelter is more for the protection of the space man has set aside for himself rather than that of nature. Similarly, man prioritizes himself over nature. The green cactus structures along the glass barrier portray how man tries to have man made structures blend in with nature. Nature and man can coexist peacefully as seen in this picture. Though man may destroy nature, man does try to make up for it by having nature as part of the created landscape and having these landscapes to blend well with nature as well as providing protection. However this nature set in the urban landscape is but a tamed and controlled version as seen in how man has prevented the growth of the plants by setting up barriers.



This image is of a wooden bench under the shade of the plants growing behind it, and in front of it a gravel road. The bench though man made is composed of wood, a product of nature, thus able to blend well with the surrounding undergrowth while standing out. It shows how urban landscape can be merged with nature. The color of the cement tiles is similar to that of the wooden bench, suggesting that man tries to ensure the man made structures created in nature are able to blend well and not be too ostentatious. The road represents an urban landscape whereas the undergrowth represents nature. Man extends his land by constructing structures in natural landscape. In the process, nature is destroyed as seen in the barren dirt that lies between the bench and the road. Although man destroys nature, nature still provides support for man as seen in the image where the plants behind the bench provide shade from the sun. Ultimately, this picture shows how man and nature can be in harmony with nature looking out for man despite the damages done to it.



This last picture is one of a shelter formed by creepers growing above brick supports. Shelters are places of protection where people to go to hide from unpleasant weather such as the scorching sun as seen in the picture above or rain. As mentioned above, nature has dual sides, one that is protective and another that is destructive. It is nice to know that man can be in harmony with the "friendly" side of nature, as seen in the picture where the creepers provide shelter from the heat of the day. The physical composition of this shelter is of both natural and artificial elements, creepers and brick supports respectively, showing the balance and harmony that exist between nature and urban landscapes. Under certain weather conditions, both humans and animals alike will come to seek shelter under such structure. Together, man and nature is more than capable of providing a place of solace for all.

Melvin Lim
2A'07

Jonathan Lee 2A/07 Creative Writing: Nature Poetry

Poem:
As strong as a piece of metal that will never break.
It stands there straight as can be,
Only moving when strong winds run by.Its petals are as pink as the color of strawberry ice cream.The stem is as green as string beans.Its thorns are sharp like the blade of a knife,
Looking threatening as they stick out of the stem.

Prolouge:
Flowers are a wonderful way to brighten our day. I was particularly inspired by Emily Dickinson because in almost all her poetry she uses nature. She uses many literary techniques in her poems to show her interpretations of nature and the world around her. Some themes that triggered my reaction about this poem is seeing nature as an inspiration. I was able to make use of the poetic techniques that I have learned in class like personification, giving human qualities to non human objects as well as similes. Some issues are the disconnection from nature and destruction of nature. Although nature can be seen everywhere around us, but we are still disconnected from nature. Because of technology that had changed our mindset, hence we tend to see nature being more important. I strongly feel that we need to take time off to appreciate the wonders of nature as well as conserving nature.

Jonathan Lee

TA 2A/07

Trinda Anne Ting

Here. Then. Now

Here,

the light warms us

the leaves caress us softly

the trees shade us from the tormenting sun

Then,

we did not know

we passed by them with strides

unseeingly, unknowingly, ignorantly

Now,

time frozen

a moment suspended

as cold as the north wind blows

Epilogue:

From this photograph, the saying 'A picture tells a thousand words' is aptly portrayed. We walk along this empty street, almost forgetting that other than us, Nature has withstood the test of time longer than we have. Because of our ego and our opinion that we are 'better' than other organisms, we forget that without Nature and her resources, we would not even be surviving and flourishing. We seem to forget that we were once a part of Nature, and she provides the basic necessities by which we live, such as air to breathe and water to drink. The poem by Mark O'Conner, 'Earth', served as an inspiration to me while writing this poem about our ignorance to what Nature has provided for us. The Earth truly is 'the face on which [we] trample on' and 'the bones by which [we] live'.

Elis Lee 2A/07

Nature’s Pathway

I wonder what they’d do,
If one day they realize, that you,
Although apparently plain and simple,
Are the key to what’s left of Nature’s Beauty.

Epilogue:

At first glance, the scene depicted in the picture merely resembled an ordinary nature reserve, with little maintenance. The stairway, which has obviously been around for quite a few years and littered with dried leaves, seems nowhere near unique. However, upon further examination, it dawned on me that although advancement of science and technology has greatly benefited mankind, it has compromised nature’s presence. Furthermore, it cannot effectively replace what nature can provide for humanity.

Today, much of nature’s beautiful landscape has been destroyed to make room for man-made infrastructure. However, nature, or what is left of it, still provides man with a haven away from their hectic urban lifestyles. Despite this, just as how I thought this picture seemed “ordinary” when I first saw it, I wonder how many people pass by nature and do not even notice her at all.

This old, plain and simple stairway literally exposes more of nature to us. It inspired me to question, and imagine, how people would react should they be able to look pass it’s, and Nature’s, simplistic appearance.

Vivian Foo 2A/07

Uncertainty
(haiku)

Resting or waiting?
Salient blue amidst the greens --
I wonder, where're you?

Flutters.

'Nature' is not all about grass and flowers, but animals too. The bird was what which caught my eye, it sits in the center of the picture -- center of attraction, standing out from amidst the greenery.

At first, when I stumbled upon the bird, I was afraid I would not be able to take a picture of it in time. However, the bird stay perched on the tree branch until I left. It kept looking around, as though it was searching for something. In certain ways, its behaviour was similar to Man. It reminded me of Man, who is always in search of something; in search of knowledge of his environment; in search of answers to questions to satisfy his curiosity; in search of what deem as beyond his limits, his boundaries.Unfortunately, the bird appears to be resting too. Like humans, taking a break from their long and hectic lifestyle, needing to stop and breathe at times.

It takes off, back to whatever it was doing, bearing an uncanny resemblance to humans -- Man resumes his life.


Vivian Foo
2A'07

Sheryl Woo--Critical Study

People are enjoying themselves in nature, at the Botanic Gardens. Everyone is in a shady and cool spot, beneath the canopy of trees. The main colour of the picture is green. The trees are of different shades, the grass as well, because of the shadow of the trees above it. The people seem to blend into the natural surroundings, looking peaceful and serene. The trees provide shade to people and looking at greenery makes people feel more relaxed. Green creates feelings of comfort, laziness, relaxation, calmness. Some attribute this to its connection with nature and our natural feelings of affiliation with the natural world when experiencing the colour green. When one looks up into the continuous sky, one may feel a little melancholy as the sky looks rather gloomy. However, when you look back down around you, the greenery makes one feel carefree and joyful again. This shows the harmony of man and nature, both man and nature can live together in peace if we want to. In this picture, man is not destroying nature. Man is enjoying himself in nature, sitting with their friends, or sitting alone, admiring their surroundings. Therefore, man and nature are in harmony.

The pinkish flowers have fallen onto the ground. They have served their purpose of decorating the tree. Now they are scattered on the ground, making the green grass and brown soil seem dotted with pink flowers. The flowers which were growing on the tree, alive and in full bloom have now fallen to the ground. Many of these fallen flowers have been trampled on; some have withered and would be swept up or become nutrients for the soil. This shows that man is taking control over nature. Nature—the fallen flowers—is under our feet. To me, this signifies that human beings are destroying nature. Singapore does not have many nature reserves and the Botanic Garden is one of the few nature places we have left. In the world today, man has destroyed nature by deforestation—Amazon forest, and by burning the trees. All these were done to clear the land for farming, building modern structures such as high-rise buildings and cities. People should not continue this exploitation of nature and start cherishing nature.

This path is surrounded by plants on both sides. Even though this path is man-made, it is made of natural materials—wooden planks and some nails to join the smooth planks into a path. The wooden planks that make up the path are from trees. Therefore, the man-made path is in a way, natural. Thus, this man-made path blends into the natural surroundings. Along both sides of the path, lies two continuous rows of shrubs, with pink five-petal flowers growing at the edge of the branches. The different plants have leaves of different shades of green. Even so, different plants planted together do not look messy. This shows the beauty of nature.
The main hues of this picture are green and brown. Green and brown compliment each other and are the colours of nature—leaves and grass are green, trunks, and branches are brown. This picture signifies that nature and man-made things are in unity. Man-made and natural things do complement each other.

Sheryl Woo

2A'07

Justina Leong, 2D/07

A perpetual lifetime of loneliness
Hardened my soul, devoid from all feeling
Standing silently, waiting, watching,
Disregarding all broken promises

Children, lovers, people and creatures of all kinds
Seek refuge, comfort, and serenity in me
Sadness; anger; hurt, Joy; love; peace
Unbeknown to them, so transparent in their minds

At long last, their hearts grow quiet, they depart
Thoughtlessly leaving behind their irksome footprints
Memories of which stubbornly fade into imprints
Which I, at all costs, endeavor to discard

Were it the leaves, which wither at my feet
Were it the roses, which wilt and lose all tones
To permit my soul and heart to be set into stone
To be so at ease when I’m isolated and solitary
To be so at ease, only when I’m alone

Epilogue:

At first glance, this picture looks incredibly serene and romantic; the newly married couple joyfully and peacefully strolling in the bottom left hand corner, the romantic setting of the gazebo in the background, the indescribably beautiful clear blue sky and the presence of nature surrounding this entire would-be happy scene.

However, upon closer inspection, I found the gazebo to look extremely lonely and somewhat out of place in this picture. It emits a gloomy and depressing vibe as compared to the radiant joyous mood the sky, trees, greenery and the couple shared. However, the gazebo still looked as though it was a natural component of the picture and not as though it was superimposed into it.

Finally, after some scrutinizing, I felt that the gazebo seemed to be at ease with its loneliness and exclusion, and it began to dawn on me that perhaps this picture would not have been the same without its distinctive and separate quality.

-Justina Leong, 2D/07

Pearly Koh 2A/07

Grass

A limerick

In the open field

Grass - But it is inconsequential

Strifled with, trampled on

Indulging in a little melancholy

...the rhythm of foot steps.

Epilogue

For most people, the first things that come to mind when "Nature" is mentioned are dainty flowers and oak trees. Of course, that includes me. But what caught my eye during the trip to Botanic Gardens was not the sweet chirpings of birds or the swaying of leaves to the wind; It was the grass I trampled underfoot.

Neglected by mankind, grass is actually the foundation for an all-inspiring Nature. Without grass, there will be no meadows nor pastures. Ultimately, grass is the primary factor contributing to Nature.

Sadly, the truth remains the way it is: Man would never stop to admire grass; it is simply not worthy of their time. Perhaps it is about time we stopped to take a look at what we have been missing out on. The beauty of grass is something no blossom can replace.

Humans are but weak and complacent creatures. Suppose we apply the never-dying spirit of grass to every day activities, wouldn't our lives be more fulfilling? Indeed, this is one of the many things we ought to learn from common flora. Often, we fail to employ the "never say die" mentality due to complacency. As such, we end up blaming everything but ourselves for our failure. What we do not realise, is that only people with true determination and perseverence shall be the last ones standing.

Personally, I feel that Nature has much more to teach us than what ordinary textbooks can provide. It is through Nature that we see and understand our real selves. Nature not only beautifies our environment, but it also takes on the role of a mentor in our lives.

When I looked down on the grass I stepped on mercilessly, I was inspired to write this poem. Why are humans destroying Nature? Why bring harm to such a beautiful and enriching entity? These were what came across my mind... I just had to pen them down.

Pearly Koh

TA 2A/07

Chew Xuan Zheng

The beauty of the trees, the softness of the breeze,
the fragrance of the grass, speak to me.

The system of the roots, the serenity of the sky,
the rustle of the leaves, speak to me.

The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the air,
the dewdrop on the flower, speak to me.

The vastness of the fields, the grandeur of the fallen petals, the trail of the sun,
and the life that never goes away, they speak to me

And my heart soars.

Epilogue:

I was nonchalantly following the group and strolling around the Botanic Gardens, barely taking in the sights and sounds for it was, to me, just another boring follow-the-route trail around a nature park; and the weather just had to be, of all, scorching. The very moment i stumbled upon this spectacular sight, however, my indifference to the surroundings melted away, leaving me speechless in awe. The countless petals strewn across the grass from the branches above, the fields which seemed to stretch on forever and the sky so bright yet calm at the same time completed this masterpiece of a picture. It was almost as if everything: the trees, the grass, the complicated mass of roots, were whispering to me. I did not have much time to pause to admire this scene, as my group members hurried me on, so I merely took a picture of it to capture its beauty. I guess thats just how the world is, always rushing, just as my group was rushing to complete the task at hand; that no one really had the time to just sit themselves down, look at nature, and bask themselves in all its serenity. Humankind has taken away so much of nature that we once had lived so harmoniously with, but no one seems to notice. Through this short poem of mine, I aim to remind the readers of the calm and happiness the various mute forms of nature brings about in one's heart.

'It Was no Simple Journey''

The lucid waters show
Brown fallen leaves, sank to the below

Green leaves, white flowers
Floating on the surface where
The silhouette of the tall-standing trees are reflected
Three distinct layers, leads me to think
The cycle of life

Nature’s first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold

Time wears of her strength
The leaves, the flowers fall
The fallen,
No longer green and vibrant,
Now brown and decayed
It was no simple journey.


The group was walking along the pavement, and I chanced upon this sight. It may not being as beautiful as the fully bloomed flowers, as impressive as the tall stable trees, or even as unique as the carved pavements, however, it gave me the inspiration to write this poem. The poem describes what is seen in the picture; the reflection, the floating flowers and leaves, as well as the decayed leaves. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this sight was the ‘stages in life’. The three distinct layers are the representative of how, a fully grown tree would eventually drop its flowers and leaves; of which, would soon sink, and decay. It is just that in life, when certain events and processes are inevitable. The process may be tough, but it is certainly an achievement, and thus, ‘it was no simple journey’.


--Ho Ann Yi
TA 2A 07

The Lake (ip yintong 2a07)

A surface so still
Shimmering, sparkling, dazzling,
Reflecting what lies above it,
Showing what lies below it,

Gaze into the crystal clear mirror,
And all one can see is
Nothing but one’s soul,
A blissful feeling felt.

So tranquil, so peaceful
in deep seclusion,
a getaway
from the perfect world gone wrong.

Thousands of wavelets,
Carrying a lone flower across,
Oh how the eternal flow of ripples,
Reminds one of the never-ending journeys in life.

The peaceful hush,
Yet one feels the solitude,
When one gazes into
Thy waters so clear.

Epilogue
When I was looking through the pictures of nature I took at botanic gardens, I came across three pictures that inspired me to write the poem. One showed the reflection of the sun on the surface of the water, the other showed the pure white flower that was floating on the still surface and the last one showed the serenity of the lake
As we’re only allowed to use a picture, I chose the one which showed the calm surface of the lake, with the sun’s reflection in it. When I look at this picture, portraying nature as calm and peaceful, I remember how much more stunning it looks in real life, and I remember how something stirred inside me at that time– the scenery so stunning that I was awestruck on the spot, while standing right beside the lake.
Pictures, portraying nature so beautifully, are really hard to come by nowadays, given how man have been taking nature for granted and exploiting nature. The seas and rivers we see normally are polluted to the extent that when one looks into it, one sees nothing on the surface, except for plastic bags and cans and pollutants. Many turn away in disgust, however, we forget that it is us who have done this to nature.

Hence, as portrayed in the pictures above, nature can be beautiful, if we give it a chance to.