Possession of Treasured Wine - mauriceling/mauriceling.github.io GitHub Wiki

Sixty lunars of my years With friends I thought so dear Hoping the forged bonds can stay the ages But a mere stone throws off gauges On that day of eleven Writing scrolls upon heated head That I drop in rolls That in fate I seal To find in zeal Thrown through shuttle Agonizing tears across flutter Waving hands to thyness above Coldness cuts I feel alone Sheering sleepless nights I thought For all the pain sustained Like sleeping on rose bed Pushing beneath thorns me bled In slain Stepping onto solemn lane Forgoing the slainful dust I mount on with new bust Welcome the warmth amist joyous tears Bathing me heart in deep sea Of cherished love Of joy Asking providence What true friends might be As the old man say They are like treasured old wine To be savoured in pleasure For it will tend your wounds in leisure -- 02/02/99

Commentary "Possession of Treasured Wine" is one of my earliest poetry works.It speaks of an invisible "caste" system of elitism in S'pore's education structure, of which I walked from one layer to the next lower by a "sad" twist of fate. "Sad" because I've suffered but grew greatly in the process. I thought I must as well write it down before social numbness got into me......

For a large part of my primary school life, I'm in this so-called "best class". During primary 5 final year exam, a high fever resulted in me merely passing all papers and thus, outcast from this class. "Outcast" is a very real word and feeling I've felt.

There I was, almost friendless, as my so-called friends of my "former" group just brushed pass my shoulders when they see me. I WAS NOT THEIR GROUP ANYMORE. An angonizing fact. In this sadness and tears, I made some strong friendships which endured till now.

I ask God, or anything high up, "what are true friends?" The answer I got is "true friends are like vintage port. To be savoured and enjoyed over almost eternity." With this...... I hope all who reads this till now, can find your true friends......