Colour-Fool
Friday, June 9, 2017 | 3:19 PM
Went to National Gallery Singapore yesterday with Kellie (original plan was pool... LOL) and the layout was so confusing (reminded me of Nex LOLLOL). We didn’t look at all the galleries but we did check out a few. And being not so photogenic, we took a few hundred photos to get a few presentable ones. T.T
Was looking through the photo last night and a few inspired me to write some poems. I posted them on my insta-stories but my friend was like, “You will need an artist statement for this HAHAHAH No one will get it” (after I explained it to him LOL) which is why I decided to write this post, dedicated to my amateur writings.
Hmm FYI, whenever I write poems, I try to have some “rules” so that there can be more word play. For example, this poem titled [Best Dressed], the “rules” I created was that every line will only have 2 words and that there must be a punctuation in every line. This was written for one of my weekly assignment when I took the ENGL002 Creative Writing module in Year 2 Sem 1.
The topic of that week's assignment was “I” and the original idea was, how I am one being with many different sides but everyone chose to only see the side which they prefer and I have to keep up with that image they prefer. The "dressing” and reference to the outer-appearance (外表) is used to touch the surface of the issue.
But after writing about "dressing", it became more of a topic of how, the subject have an image maybe not to attract others but to actually get approval. Like how the subject try to laugh off an OOTD-gone-wrong, how the subject try to create a buzz about himself/herself (i.e. "be the talk of town") and how the subject dressed in a certain way even if he or she don't like it so long as it gets the "likes" on social media.
Aiya like I said, amateur writings ... so anyways, here goes the photos/poems which I posted on my insta-stories!
Title: MISUSED (... punctuation)
they said, if
touched:
its colour,
will change.
so hey, turn
grey. for me –
will ya? white
is: too pure.
don’t worry,
being tainted?
isn’t scary.
follow me...
I was looking at this photo and the words came to me. To be honest I really like the colours in this photo, from the blue in the foreground to the white and pink balls in the background.
The first verse was the original instructions given. Like, they said that when we touch the balls, the balls will change colour (apparently when the first ball change colours, it will spread to the rest of the surrounding balls, like a rippled effect). But the reference to the instructions are just the surface meaning of the words. Actually the first verse meant that when people come into contact with one another, they will be influenced and change from who they originally were.
In the second verse, “turn grey” was a reference to "fifty shades of grey". (initially I was thinking “turn black” but I prefer the reference to fifty shades LOL once you go black you can’t go back man) And by pure coincidence, that ball I was reaching for, happened to be white, which is also "colour in its most original form", signifying our original personality before people influence us.
Finally, last verse is like a final coax to be influenced and to change. One might be fearful or afraid of being influenced and getting "tainted", so the final reassurance of “follow me” is like saying, "its okay, ive been there, done that". (I guess I've once been tainted too?)
The rule which was created for this poem is that after every two words, a punctuation will be used. So at first glanced, punctuations are actually used wrongly, hence the title, [MISUSED (...punctuations)]. However, in actual fact, the word MISUSED was referring to the power of influence people abused. ... we have the power to change people's "colour" but instead we tainted them.
Title: Pink Pain
This hot pink mess
I make once every month
gave me nothing
but excruciating pain
But I rather this pain
for its absence born
something I cannot tame
This hot pink mess
I make once every month
gave me nothing
but excruciating pain
But I rather this pain
for its absence born
something I cannot tame
After writing the first poem, I was inspired to write more but I suddenly had very bad mense cramps. So this became a new way to “complain” about it I guess LOL. I seldom use long words in my poems (usually short and sweet simple English words, because the longer the word, the more the syllables and sometimes it hinder the flow of the writing) BUT EXCRUCIATING is the only word that I can think of to describe this cramps LOL
There’s not much “rules” I created for this poem, other than it being two sentences with a main idea each and the last word of both sentences rhyme (i.e. “pain” and “tame”). Oh but my favourite word in this poem is “born” because it’s kind of like a pun. The first meaning is that it “brings” something I cannot tame, but the second meaning is referring to the “birth” of a baby (that is, if I miss my mense LOL).
The flaw of this photo and poem, is that ideally, it’s “red” (cause mense blood LOL) rather than “hot pink”. But ... If I use “red” I fear that the poem might become too extreme and serious, losing the lighter touch and straight-forward meaning made possible by this poem.
Anyways, I just realized I could also use this photo to write a LGBT-inspired poem and it will be quite relevant because of “Pink Dot”. It’s happening in less than a month (1st July if I’m not wrong). Personally I think it’s one of the few highly successful local movement with its ability to raise awareness and the buzz it creates. Especially since it is now in their 8th year running, I thought that maybe they can move on from being a movement to a programme or something. But as I read up about it when I’m writing this, I realized that there are still endless challenges they actually face to run the event.
Apparently there were some changes to the rules governing the use of Hong Lim Park in 2016 and there are increased restrictions about the participation of foreigners. This actually limits a lot of corporate support (i.e. funding from the multinational corporations) for the event but I think it hurts the individuals more. (I have no idea why the Berlin Wall/North-South Korea border pops up in my head) There are probably couples or friends who are now unable to support their loved ones and stand beside them where they can openly celebrate their loved ones for who they are.
I hope that I can witness a genuine rainbow this lifetime.
“Show yourself please
Oh wrong person”
Makes me wonder
What you expect
When you possess
That rotten heart
You cannot show
This poem was inspired by the photos in which I was half-turning. The first two lines is painting the scenario, of which the subject of the poem was asked to turn around. But the person who called out to the subject, was apparently disappointed by how the subject looked and hastily used the excuse of calling out the wrong person.
The next few lines reflect the annoyance from the subject because he/she was being judged based on appearance but the other person was so shallow that it is actually more shameful (and hence “cannot be shown”). I wasn’t sure what to title the poem at first. Settled on it being disappointment because there were two disappointments here from two different person, at the start and at the end. However, the word is in singular form (i.e. disappointment instead of disappointments) because there is only one real disappointment, which is at the end.
This poem coincidentally started and ended on the same word (“show”) and I quite like that heehee anyways, when I first wrote this poem I didn’t create any “rules” but I decided to do it as I rewrite it here. So the “rules” here are, every line has three words and four syllabus but somehow it doesn’t flow as smoothly as I want it to ... sigh what a disappointment.
Labels: Friends, Life, Poetry, Quotes
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