Sunday, May 11, 2008

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.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Lee Dong Ying 2A/07

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Friday, May 9, 2008

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

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.