TCFS STUDENT ANTHOLOGYSTUDENT ANTHOLOGYMAY 2015

1LOVE & HOPE

Imagine our love,

You're the sun, I am the moon

You light the day, I brighten the night.

But there is a curse between us,

That we can't appear at the same time.

Is it God who is testing us?

Letting you guard the day,

Leaving me to guard the night.

I shall brighten all pavements,

But without the sun, there isn't any moonlight.

Time is right, you should rise

I shall fall, when the time is right.

Once a year, once in time,

My shadow may be with you that night.

For this time, for this night

We will be together, only you and I.

LOVE UNBALANCED EQUALLY

ZACK HEW

2

Stand tall Brave and strong No matter how many waves you suffer Stand alone In the middle of the seasLet water and salty breeze become your

friendDay and night Sun, moon, starsWill stand silent as your witness As you stand solemnly strippedStretching your arms to show the way Bringing hope to the hopeless

BEING A LIGHTHOUSE

NADIA CHRISTIE HIDAJAT

3

Oh my troubles

Why are you here to stay?

Under the gloomy rainy sky

Am I supposed to stay here?

Watching these lonely trees

The branches break and fall,

and die.

The grass is looming all around me

From all directions that I see.

Oh my troubles, will you ever be gone?

The lonely path has no ending,

All I see are the shadows of the trees.

Grumbles of the gut fill my ears

Lips are drier than the desert.

Behind these shadows,

There I found Hope.

Between the small spaces of floating leaves

A speck of mountain peers over

Sounds of flowing water intensify

As the forest starts to thin out

An opening out of the reflections I see

An opening of hope

An opening of joy.

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LOST

NICHOLAS KONG &MIA CAO

5I DONT KNOW

GRACE LISomeone said that love is a big, big red rose

But I dont think so

Every time you look to his eyes

You want to say hello to his soul

Love will make you foul

Love will make you low

To the deepest inferno, though

You may row a boat

To the height of the heaven

Then the seeds of love will be sowed

My father said, girl

You are not enough old

To know

If love is a woe

To make you cold

Or love is a rose

Sense the happiness of our soul

6LA LUNA

JIACHENG GAO (ANDY) & SIYU MA (ALLISON)

In this silver moonlight I grow,Quietly and peacefully.Leaving the lifelessness of the night behind, I try to reach you,I try to touch you.

With this nocturne composed by the nocturnal,How lively you are!O my Luna! My goddess divine!You are the hope, You are my destiny.

So close no matter how far,You light up my direction.I will keep climbing,I will reach you,I will touch you!

7A TREE

MONICA PANI was small and lonely In the rage of a storm, tremblingStruggling to survive Teased by shrubs I didnt admire the way you thrivedYou little bushesI believe all the suffering will make me strong Now I stand, at the edge of the rock Never scaredYou stare at me jealously World embraced me since I live bravely, fearlessly.

HOPE

JEVON PRASETIO & JACQUELINE XIN LOSmall little tree,What are you doing up there? So far from usSet yourself at the dangerous endThe cold wind blows your fragile hands The sun shines over your bare body How do you do it? Overcoming all the natural disasters yourself Standing firmly at the edge Giving us a sense of warmth.

TONIGHT

VIVIEN YU

8

Tonight is a tough night It is the night that I say farewell to my parents.It is the night that nobody is around me.But, tonight is a hopeful night:It is the start of a new challenge.It is another beginning of my own life. Tonight, one life is fading, but a brand new one is rising.

9There is a goodbye in every hello A farewell in every meetingAnd an end in every beginning

My work here is done today So many things to considerSo many things are being sacrificed

Even though its a tough decision to make I have to leave for nowIm sure to be back next time To fix what Ive done wrongTo build stepping stones into a castle

Youre always in my heart Now and forever

LEAVING HOME

STEFI ANGELINA

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GOH YI ZHEN

2NATURE & THE WORLD

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12

RACHEL HENGMOCATY HUANGERIC TAN

On the far end, a fallen tree That could further represent the season where Leaves turn from green as grass to red as grapesThe foliage creates shapesFor a mosaic of great colourBut only when looked at in a big, complete picture A scenery full of cloud and character

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TO MELBOURNE WEATHER

WING KUANGYesterday you were a Gatsby,Flaunting your riches by baking. Your luxury cloak covered the city,Dyeing the ground golden.And you played like a king, domineering, Watching the poor fading and tanning.

Today you acted like a Heathcliff,Romp and stay savage and peevish.Your roar was howling in the air,Battering the grey concrete.You laughed and scolded, withering,Pounding people out of their dreams.

It seems tomorrow you will be a Myrtle,Moaning or chuckling, snarling or sobbing. No one can predict what you are thinking.But I have been bored with you, my Missy,Please just be a columbine, rather than harlequin.

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A STRONG FLOWER

ZHAO YIPING (KRYSTAL) & CHAN RONG XIANG (DARREN)There is a special and elegant flower Compared to the tall tree How small she isAlthough she can hardly see the sun She is still cheerful She is still fragrant To solve all problems she meets

Look at her smile How charming she is She is not the prettiest Not the tallest But Her attitude must be learnt by all of us

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ADIBAH AMANI NASARUDIN

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TREEICEY LIU & BILL YU

I am an old tree Loneliness is around me Sleeping in endless dark Living in timeless time All of my leaves left me Over time I am forgotten

Only moon Always there Care is burning in her eyes She looks at me like a childAnd I know That I am not alone

THE STONEHAN TINGHUA & ZENG MINGGANG

Born in the earth Raised in the air The stone Hit by the rain Slapped by the windAfter hundreds of yearsIt stands still

The stone Like a door The entrance of the timeless time And the path of the history Just standing there Watching the change In a careless corner

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CHALLENGE

DANNI ZHENG& SANDARA LU

For the desolate jungle we have walked through

The craggy path that has been conquered

and the torrential river we have crossed

It comes to sight

The bright sky decorated by the pure clouds

Stands the great mountain

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NEVER ENDING SLEEP

MIKHAIL HARIS MOHD ROBIEI WONG& WUJI ZHANG

Quiet jungle and frozen lakes The plastic trees and silicon waters Time stood still like a picture,The heart of the forest fast asleepHidden within the mighty jungle.

Untouched by man,Unharmed by man Almost too perfect Could there be ignorance hidden in the silence:Could it be too artificial to be true? Has Mother Nature given upHas she packed up her miracles and left?

Humanitys greatest achievement,So proud,Out with the old and in with the new Is it ignorance or arrogance? Who gave us the right?

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HER LIFE

PHILIP NGAN & DAISY DENG

She flows,

In the sun and in the rain,

Across the field and over the mountain,

Bravely,

Endlessly,

The journey is hazardous.

Her fate is unpredictable.

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PEACEFUL TRIANGLE

SU LYNN KEW

21

IN TASMANIA

ZHANG ZIYU (CHRISTINA)HOBART, 14TH APRIL 2015

This was my first time travelling with friends, and now it was the fifth day in Tasmania. I thought: I have fallen in love with this magical place. Every bit of it brings very different experiences and moods.

On the first day, we went to Port Arthur, which is a world famous convict site. Looking at the buildings and houses, I couldnt believe it was a jail - it looks peaceful and beautiful now. My tour guide, though, told me that Port Arthur is the darkest place in Australia. Only one person ever ran away successfully from this place to Hobart. But history, in fact, is always accompanied by darkness and blood. We cannot forget it - its a reality which cannot be changed. But history can also bring intellectual wealth for us; we can learn so much from history in different countries.

On the second day, Tasmania changes style and brings me another angle to view. Cradle Mountain is a unique wilderness. The craggy mountain, the trail and the lake with withered trees... I felt I could touch the sun and the wind. Meanwhile, you also cant clearly see the destination and therefore you have to walk continually by yourself. When I climbed Cradle Mountain, I was afraid in a way that was quite new to me. When they cannot see the end point, many people are most likely to choose to give up. Only the few people who arrive at the destination can witness the amazing scenery. For them, the destination could be another starting point - to get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. Dont stop, and keep going.

The last day: Tasmania stood in front of us with a certain rustic charm. We went to Launceston and tasted plenty of delicious seafood, cheese and red wine. The local seafood was full of colour and fresh fragrance, and the flavour was unique and delicious. We sat in the street looking at the old buildings and restaurants and paintings, listening to classical music. It was quieter than many modern cities. No one could break that peace. In my opinion, every city has its own distinctive attitude. Different cities attitudes will affect people in different ways - even change their minds about things.

After my exciting Tasmanian journey, I came to think that the purpose of travelling is not what you are seeing - actually, it is consideration of this world using your heart. Tasmania gives me many different perspectives to look at and think upon.

Different cities have different lifestyles and culture, but we are all in the same world: what an exciting thought!

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LIFE

HAZEL NGUYEN & EVLYN SEPTIANY YONG

Red tree among the green

Swiftly move along with the wind

Looking at the green

Whose colour hasnt changed

Whose days are still young.

For the aging red tree

The days are old

With countless memories

Standing calmly with leaves falling

Wondering what a life it has livedWARRIOR

WANG ZIFAN & LIN LONGA little tree

Standing on the cliff

For a long, long time

Suffering the wind and snow

No matter what severe conditions

He thrives without assistance

Standing lonely and strong

Like a warrior

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Red, bright and benevolent

I am the sun, the mother of life

Rising, pacing and descending

time and time over,

I understand my daily task, my holy responsibility:

To warm, to light, to cheer,

and to expect the miraculous growth,

hopefully, passionately, yet patiently.

Although I cannot always be there,

although I have to face the cold, dark faces,

the ignorance, and the reluctance to appreciate

my precious love and care,

I always know:

I must do it.

After all, who can live well without

a concerned eye contact, a gentle touch,

or a sweet kiss

from their dedicated mother?

MOTHER OF LIFE

SHERRY WANG

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PHILIP NGAN

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WHO AM I?

SUN YICHEN (IAN) & WU SHUI LING (LINDA)Stretching gently as I rise for another day,Oh! What a living piece of art I see.Elegant ladies dressed in delicate silk,Im soaked in the sweetness of your blissful perfumes.

What am I? Compared to you fair ladies? I tempt no butterflies,nor praises from birds.Odourless, ugly, born with billions of threatening thorns...

The sun smiled gracefully at me and said,Sigh no more, dear, sigh no more,look into yourself and tell me: what do you see?

A heart not willing to wilt, A heart not willing to die,A heart that gets thirsty only when it comes to thrive.

CACTUS

WINONA SHEN & IRIS LYUGrowing up among the flowers Different to everyone.Nobody understandsWhy he stands here.Full of hard stings, Protecting himself.

The cactus is taller, stronger,but no flowers embellish him.No butterflies, no bees fly around him Loneliness makes him grow stronger.

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THE PROUD CACTUS

CAMBO KENG & ZHUYUN LI

Oh Poppies,

What nice origin you have,

Plenty of food and drink,

Almost your entire life, full of simplicity.

But to your misery, it does not train you

For the inevitable doom.

My life, my ancestors lives,

All the hard times wed gone through,

Starvation and isolation are no longer new.

Evolution: a reward we were given

Transforms us into this spiky creature

That you find so ridiculous.

Now you can laugh

When nature is no longer loyal to you,

Even a drop of water wont you find

With full experience, I shall still flower

But you, your whole colony,

Will be crispy as potato chips.

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PHILIP NGAN

28

BREAK THE 88 CYCLE

VICTORIA

And so the kids Marched in January,Wailing and crying to make a mark Knowing anyway their sticks will crack.

And so the kids Marched in February Once, for two decades, spoon-fed to Conform with what They say:the Right and the Wrong.

And so the kids Marched in March, All of a sudden unchained from Them,the kids think; too naive to realise that the more they March, the harsher they speak,the better reason for Them to seize,To spin their webs around these kids -Stronger, tighter and stronger now Until these very kidsCan speak no more. And Snap.

The youth is dead; tomorrow is ended.The voices have drowned. Freedom is extinct.And Forever, a permanent Defeat. And Snap:The Kings will have won.For Them, a victory for two decadesAnd a thousand more.

Peace, not war, is key.Make freedom with peace.And for now, tomorrow, and forever With peace as a weapon,Break the 88 cycle,For time can and may rewind,Only to find ourselves back in that old Burma of 88.

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FALL

NICOLE TAN SHI YING, WEI WEI LIM & HANNAH ZHU

There is a lonely autumn tree,Cradling the twilight, where the lone winds blow, Fallen leaves basking in the lake,There is nothing that can make them stop,Colour, colour, everywhere,The falling fruits that no one will gather.

Autumn is beautiful Because the sun shows fewer raysAnd fills all fruit with ripeness to the core.

The green leaves are turning to yellow, red and brown, Down, down Yellow and brown,The leaves are fallingOver the town.

3MORE POETRY, PROSE & ART

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Summer: an incandescent season. At this time of year, a lot of young people will graduate from university, which is one of the most exciting things in life. Blazing sun confirmed the rhythm of youth. It is a totally new and fresh beginning, Mario thought. I was born to a poor family, but in order to earn money for my education my parents often take more work than is good for them. The day of returning the favour to them has finally arrived! For young people, though, even stars in the sky seem to twinkle just in hope for them. However, as the old saying goes, only the good die young. Ten years pass: Mario is nothing but a delivery man, delivering pizzas. Bad economy; bad luck; high unemployment rate... Why do all these awful things happen to me? wonders Mario. By now, he was the father of two children. The whole family lived frugally and would have to think hard about a thousand daily decisions. I have tried my best to study at university, but why is it so hard to find a satisfying job nowadays? I am well prepared for interviews and I am kind to every interviewer, as much as I can be, so why do they always think I am not suitable for the position? IT is my major - one of the most popular fields of study! Every day, these problems and questions flashed across his mind countless times. As time went by, Mario lost self confidence, little by little, and began to doubt his ability. This feeling of doubt became stronger day by day. Eventually, too much pressure made Mario go mad. He began to have mental health problems. One day, Mario made a crazy decision: rob a bank! Maybe this was the fastest - and only - way to make his family better off. All Marios misfortunes had deprived him of his sense of purpose, and for this reason he had put down all of his work, ignoring customers waiting for him to deliver pizzas. He focused on the crime ahead, which he was planning to carry out with the help of the pizza delivery car. After the robbery, Mario just kept driving. The police were coming, and he told himself he could get away. Then Mario got out of the car and ran through the city and across rivers. He climbed a mountain. Finally, in the late afternoon, he arrived at a forest. OMG! Mario cried out. There was a little boy, crying, with a bomb strapped to him. It is definitely an abduction! His heart became heavy.

CANDICE CHEN

THE STORY OF MARIO

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Without hesitation, Mario changed into a different mode. He was a totally new and extraordinarily great person. As a father, he could not bear to see any child treated like that. I must save that baby even though I might be arrested by the police. He is a life! He made up his mind. Wait - what? Mario had to suppress his cry when he saw the suspects. I know these people - I once delivered them pizzas! Oh, man, said one of the suspects, why hasnt Marios pizza that we ordered arrived yet? Im starving! Mario thought: did I hear that right? These are some of the customers I gave up before robbing a bank! How exciting! Hey, man! Here is your pizza! Mario yelled to them. Busy negotiating with the boys parents, they didnt pay much attention to Mario. Very quickly, Mario picked up the baby boy and put him in the car before slipping away. Not surprisingly, the kidnappers chased after them - but they heard an alarm and decided they had to save themselves. They gave up chasing. Mario drove whilst trying to disengage the bomb. Eventually, they safely and successfully threw the bomb out of the window. Itll be okay, said Mario, Ill help you to return home. Mario used one hand to steer the wheel and the other to grip the boys hand. Thank you for helping me today... You know, you are just like my father. The boy looked at Mario. My father also holds my hand and protects me. I shouldnt run off every again; I hope my father forgives me... the boy muttered to himself. After hearing these words, Mario felt as if the world was standing still and the air was frozen. These words touched his heart. Mario was lost in his thoughts. Yes, he thought, I am the father of two children, but I didnt set good examples for them or protect them well. What I did today also hurt my parents - I disappointed them. I am neither a good father nor a good son. After sending the boy home, Mario felt no fear or worry. Mario delivered himself to the police and made amends for his wrongs. The court felt that, as he had admitted his fault and made vigorous attempts to eliminate the resulting ill effects, he could have a lighter, mitigated punishment. In jail, he created the game Super Mario.

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HOTPOT

ANNLI TEE

This picture portrays the delicious chaos of having a Chinese hotpot (locally called steamboat) dinner with family and friends. Once dunking your choice of food into the steaming broth, most end up losing it in the depths of the pot. Everyone ends up fighting over ownership of the cooked fish ball or tofu! Picture taken in Selangor, Malaysia.

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COLOURS

ELICIA CHEAH

Blue,The colour of freedom, But nobody knowsIt is also the colour of twilight,Where wolves roam free,Their hungry eyes searching.

Red,The colour of love,And everyone knowsIt is also the colour of blood,Which stains a deep red crimson,A permanent mark to be remembered.

Green, The colour of nature,But nobody knowsIt is also the colour of the black cats eyes,The creature so many of them associate with evil,And the pets of witches who hunt for innocent prey.

Yellow, The colour of the sun,And hope.Or do you see it,In a crocodiles eyes,Watching you, and waiting?

Black, Elegance, sophistication,And darkness, and shadows,Where your darkest fantasies come to life Can you see them?

White,Like this piece of paper,Pure, and new,But do you know That it is also the space Where a persons memories have been wiped clean?

Colours,Do you see them? For I fear that if you do,You might never wake up from this nightmare.

Colours,The good things, and the bad things,Would you rather have one or both?

You have a choice.Just pick.

Be wise.

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GOH YI ZHEN

36

REFLECTION

CAYLIE CHU, CHERYL TENG & DYLAN DENGReflection,

one of the fundamental human traits.

But no matter how much light there may be,

there will always be darkness in reflection.

Even though everyone can reflect, only a few

with wisdom

can have the best view of themselves.

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SURVIVAL

JEANETTE HAN & JASMINE ZHI MING CHOONG

Dangers around I never fear

With courage I stand tall and bold

Wind howling but

Never defeated, still I grow

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DANK TREES FOOT

KOH YI HUNG & LIN ZHANGHAN

One flower mature and tall,blooming with life.Sharing its vitality by protecting youngsters Many youngsters, weak and frail,fresh with hope.Sharing their vitality by force of numbers.Innocently. But harmony is soon to end.There is one cow, hungry for a fresh meal.Big flower mature and tall, opens her arms to shield the youngsters.This one simple cow says whatever,waves the protector aside.Says, I shall eat you first, then I shall dine on you all.Old and young. The youngsters stand tall as they think,We shall protect our beautiful queen. The flower, bright white under the sun, A shadow falls, beauty eclipsed,dimsas the weak but resolute army wants to protect but watchesGiant cow swallows the flower,Finishes its lunch,Waddles away with belly full.Pleased with the days work,Dinner will be waiting at dank trees foot.

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FEAST

ANNLI TEE

The famous saying that one mans trash is anothers treasure is the perfect caption for this amusing scene. Tantalised by the exquisite smells of a hotpot dinner, my neighbours cat decided to drop by for leftovers - to find absolutely scrumptious treasure!Pictures taken in Selangor, Malaysia.

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DENNIS WIRYA

We, electronic beings, need energy

And so we have done, siphoning energy from batteries.

Without teachers, we may not run,

and know what our functions are.

Theyre our electricity, powering us,

letting us know how operable we are,

and thats how we come to know what good we can do

for society.

In return, teaching exhausts them,

stress degrades their cells,

and deadlines, too, limit their charging time,

which leaves us to wonder:

how do they possess so much energy?

Or perhaps they dont.

Do they put on a front by using all their smiles instead?

Whatever their reason is,

I want to thank these special batteries

for not selling their energy to other avenues but, instead,

for us.

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ANTONIA YIP

I take my leave

As white stargazer lilies accompany my sleep.

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WANDERER (BASED ON SHAUN TANS WATER BUFFALO)

RYAN JIT MING TANThe air is calm, the evening is still.Under a bright sun lit astray,Auburn trees that rustle in wake of an autumn breeze, Whose outstretched shadows cling onto the dying light of day. Past lush fields of emerald and scarlet,In a hidden field that lay below the autumn clouds of a waning sun, Past a swift river that glistened under a silver moon,Whose rills of watery tears sang in pure harmony -As each droplet wanders further away from the bosom of their origin.With a ruined heart I wander silently across the vast vistas and fields.

I had once arrived as a friend, welcomed by both mother and child,Many a game did I play with the child,Many a joy did I share with him.Kind words were spoken,Joyous moments were spent.Alas, time is but a thing of changes,From old to new, joys are not meant to last.The world has become dreary.On a cold July day when clouds faded to grey,Under the luminescent rays of an autumn moon As the first tears of the benign sky fell like pearls,I left in a shroud of sorrow.For my tears had fallen as gently as a petal of wilting rose.

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YANG YAO (JESSICA)

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ADA YANG

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PENCIL

WEIJIA WANG (SAM), CHENGXI ZHANG (BROOK), YI LIANG (OLIVIA) & SHENGJIE WU (JENNY)

When I was staying on the shelf of a store, I took pity on my friends who were bought and taken away. I felt that my life would soon come to an end whenever I saw those who became very short and lay beside the bin; thus I always hid myself away in order not to be bought by anybody. Unfortunately, one day a man came to the store, walked straight towards me, and picked me up despite my revulsion. My mood crumbled - I thought: I will soon be used up by this bizarre man. What are you going to do with me? I asked, but he kept silent as if he hadnt heard. I kept asking him, and eventually he said: You will know. He placed me on his table. I stayed there for several days, and when I thought that he wouldnt use me he suddenly rushed into his study and sharpened me. Stop hurting me! I shouted, but I was ignored. He took out a piece of paper and started writing with me crazily, as if he had got some inspiration. It felt really painful as my lead rubbed the paper rapidly. I screamed, but he just kept writing row by row, rapidly, crazily. Stop writing! I cried, but he said: Shut up! He took his eraser and rubbed out some words, and then picked me up again and wrote some new words. Soon I was half the length Id been before. I talked to him: Are you going to consume me? Use me up? Still, he gave no answer. He just kept modifying his words again and again. The man, with sweat on his forehead, kept concentrating on his project as if the world made no sense to him. I began to be silent.

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I didnt know how long the time was that passed; eventually, he stopped writing and seemed relaxed and cheerful. Look at what a good job you have done, he said. It was a long piece of poetry, with splendid words. After several days, his poem attracted the attention of the most popular editor, and hundreds of millions of copies were published. As soon as it appeared on the market, the poem received a lot of praise for its deep reflection of daily life. Now that I have reached the end of my life, I am too short even for him to hold me. However, every time I am reminded of the awesome poem written by my owner, pride and satisfaction fill my mind. Thats a totally different life to my pencil friends. I have realised my value. Thats an honourable death.

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ART CREDITS

Cover: Hardcover book gutter and pages by Horia Varlan (creativecommons.org) Page 1: Pulchritudinous Proliferation by Annli Tee Page 2: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 3: original art by Evangeline Yan Page 4: original art by Chet Zi Han (Regant) Page 5: photograph by Antonia YipPage 6: photograph by Gao Jiachen (Andy) Page 7: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 8: photograph by Guo Zichao (Robert) Page 9: original art by Linda Wu Page 11: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 12: photograph The End by Guo Zichao (Robert) Page 13: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 14: photograph by Guo Zichao (Robert) Page 16: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 17: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 18: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 19: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 22: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 25: photograph Summer by Guo Zichao (Robert) Page 29: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 30: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 36: photograph by Gao Jiacheng (Andy) Page 37: photograph by Philip Ngan Page 40: photograph by Wing KuangPage 41: photograph by Philip Ngan