When Auntie gives you a cookie
You learnt from young to say "Thank you!"
When you are handed a red packet on New Year's Day
You wish the giver: "Happy New Year, thank you!"
When Boss gives you a raise
You gush: "Thank you, thank you!"
So one is taught civil behaviour
At school, at work and at the dinner table
Also, Elders beseech you:
If someone slaps you on the left cheek
Please turn him your right cheek
But I wouldn't advise you thus
In my wisdom gotten in golden years
I would beseech you,shout back:
"No, no thanks!
I don't fire blanks!"
(By YLChong, Composed some time in 2003)
Desiderata:This fun poem was written tongue in cheek, and I had the young people, especially my nieces and nephews,in mind. I wished to temper the innocence of children with a dose of "reality check" , maybe spiced with a pinch of sarcasm.
The NST of June 1, 2005 (with a follow-up today) led off page 1 with the heart-rending headline: AYAH, DON'T CRY! with subhead Boy paralysed after beating by seniors says ....
The story, datelined TEMERLOH, Tuesday said National Park ranger Baharuddin Mohamad had advised his boarding school-bound son Mohd Afiq Qusyairi, 13, in January "Turn the other cheek when someone bullies you. Fighting back would only make things worse."
But some unthinking seniors stomped on young Afiq's back and threw him against his locker, causing his spinal cord to be damaged at the base of the skull. Doctors fear Afiq will never walk again.
Desiderata expresses great sympathy to child and Dad; I believe Baharuddin is a God-fearing man who wanted his son to walk the straight and narrow, giving others the benefit of the doubt. I too grew up on similar philosophy -- but realities in life sometimes dictate that there are bastards out there -- adults included! -- who don't listen to reason and do not reciprocate human kindness with kindness. In which case, my poem's last two verses would be my guideline in response. God have mercy on me if I am wrong!
I would like to hear from dear esteemed Readers, young and not so young, regarding this episode which has caused great anguish to Afiq's loved ones.
2 comments:
Desiderata:
My heart goes out to the family of young Afiq. I do not know how to feel for this except shock and anger that our "caring" Malaysian society has gone down to such a low level. We used to read and see such violence only in films depicting school gangsterisms in the West. It now has come to our homeland, sadder still that it is within a school compound. I have been told that my alma mater in Penang now has regular police patrols to curb violence. And this was one of the premier schools in the country during my time! I blame this on the parents of today. In their chase for all things material, values go out of the window. Respect for people and their properties don't matter. They spend too much time reasoning and explaining to their kids, so much so that children now have equal rights as adults in the home. I'd say "spare the rod, spoil the child" applies equally well yesterday and today. Kids are kids and any amount of reasoning and explaining will only work to a certain extent. We were all young before and we've been there, done that. Parents should also know who their children's company are and what they do outside their homes. I have seen many children who are angels at home but go wild once they are out of sight of their parents.
The society now is getting too violent and dangerous -- I'm scared by the road rage provocateurs (yes, I encountered some of these bast....s, sorry I have to resort to using some terms to really express my degree of anger at some of these grownup nimcompoops ... look at these youths who have nothing better to do than race their highpowered bikes through KL city streets!
Yes, parents must exercise more control. What led to the other case of a 13-year-old stealing out in the wee hours with the father's car to meet "friends" out of her/his agre range -- isn't she/he supposed to be studying?
Unneccasirily adding another statistic of "fatalities" -- no, not due to an accident, more of parental neglect and responsibility!
I normally would've composed such "cheeky" poems to convey my concerns, but what to do -- if people don't want prose (sounds like preaching), maybe my VERse may reach some of the listeners.
Regards, SH --- keep the faith. We continue to pray!
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