Tuesday, June 10, 2008

On Brave Shores

Ubin's Shores, 10 June 2008

I found no braves
on brave shores,
I found waves
but no open doors.


I found hearts so cold
with fears,
I found not one bold
shedding tears.


I found dreamers
dreaming by the day,
I found lovers
lush-green in the bay.


I found toys
lost abandon,
I found boys
braver than men.


I found earth's first
heavenly lights,
I found thirst
to scale the heights.

Truth found me
by the rocky shores,
And set me free
doors or no doors.

- Joseph Lai, on Ubin's magical shores.


4 comments:

May said...

Joe, I like the poems very much.

They are great poems and you wrote them so you are a great poet :-)

So Mei

Joe Lai said...

You make my day, So Mei! : ) Thanks for your compliments. It is important you and others find meaning in them, but most of all, even if they are not admired by anyone, they are mine and preciously so... like my life... my feelings. They reflect my journey, my spirit, my wonderings, my love, my joy, my thoughts... it's everything about me and the world around. Thanks, So Mei, for allowing me this little window to express my love for the poetry of my soul. Bless you and your wonderful family.

Wan Chung said...

Dear Joseph,

I appreciate your poem and spirit. There is a liberating quality in it that I admire. You add depth to the Singaporean conscience and culture, and I thank you for this as most of us are just busy going through the daily rut of life and spare little time for reflection and appreciation of nature's many gifts and the inner longings of the human soul.

Wan Chung

Joe Lai said...

Dear Wan Chung,

you said it so well. I am heartened by your insightful comment and I certainly hope there are more Singaporeans who feels the same way as you. Yes, indeed, Nature is to our landscape as the spirit (or soul) is to the body. Without it, we are just living deads. Thank you for this little window of apportunity of knowing one such as you and the spirit with which your words reveal. Bless you.