Tag: poem

Apocalypse Yoga – 26th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Landscapes of destruction and hell
Destroyed cityscapes aflame on fire
Devouring armfuls of pink men
Animals pick at flesh on barbed wire

Zerkon on your headphones
Quiet heralds the chaos to come
Settle into the warrior’s posture
Start banging the apocalypse drum

As anxiety rises in your bones
Breath deep the anguish and terror
Convulsing masses of flesh
Prepared for the yogi pallbearer

To six dragon hounds submit
Borborygms burst through the gut
A danse macabre meditation
Steeled the flesh for every cut

Tensions dissolve in exhalation
Stay in posture for nine breaths
Life leaves you little by little
Every nightmare, a series of deaths

Paraphrased and inspired by an absurd newsletter (The Poney Club Letter n°59) from the record label, Dur et Doux.

Today I’m feeling:

Quite groggy and blurry.

I will take Baipad and her sister to the art gallery this morning. Hopefully it gives them some inspiration.

After that, I don’t think that I will be up for much else today.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 5

Today I’m grateful for:

A bowl of strawberries with Lung Chom coconut ice cream sprinkled with black sesame seeds and then Amy found some of old chocolate chips to add too. Delicious.

The best thing about today was:

To be honest most of today my brain was fucked and even taking the kids to the gallery which was fun was still a bit of a blur.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I had little motivation to do much of anything this afternoon so satisfied myself with comic reading and a nap.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Baipad and Namhom were happy to be at the art gallery today, especially as there was a cosplay event there.

I took lots of pictures at the gallery and I think this one is my favourite.

“Come Over” – 25th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I hate that I like it when you leave
me to wonder what you are doing
It’s only myself I choose to deceive,
a turmoil casserole left stewing

Between the devil and deep blue sea
I hate that I like it when you leave
Unsure to be tied down or set free
I’m trying to make us both believe

Mixed messages that we both receive
and send, hung up on to higher hopes
I hate that I like it when you leave
the bruises from your ugliest gropes

Our heads are nought but mush and despair
What is it that we hope to achieve?
Every night alone I say this prayer
I hate that I like it when you leave

Inspired by this post at Girl Online and also submitted for a refrain assignment at AllPoetry.com

Today I’m feeling:

Slow to go after a nine-plus hour sleep. As I lay dozing, an election van went down our soi blaring its propaganda and repeatedly reminding you who to vote for ‘Ber Song’ – number 2.

I have a tickly cough probably from the increased poor air quality and not looking forward to the next few months for this reason.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Getting out in the afternoon to the Chiang Rai Contemporary Art Museum for an hour or so.

The best thing about today was:

The Art Gallery was great but also playing guitar got me going this afternoon.

The evening was fun at times (see below).

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

We came out for dinner with Nut and Bruno and Amy was excited to come into the city to find some weed gummies. Bruno complained a bit as all the shops are in Jetyod so we were being subjected to foreign tourists. We found some gummies and consumed varying degrees of them and as I didn’t feel like sitting in a bar, Bruno and I walked around town a little while Amy and Nut grabbed a beer.

By the time we joined them again the effect had kicked in and though it was fun when something was happening it didn’t take long for spiralling negative thoughts to emerge and Amy and I struggled through the rest of the night, from leaving the city to trying to get to sleep.

Something I learned today?

It was great to visit the art gallery to remind myself that there are little pockets of interest here in sleepy Chiang Rai. As well as the art there was a beatbox dance competition going on as well as there being evening events here.

These kids were awesome.

I took this picture because the beatboxers were rehearsing inside the gallery. Well, why not? This is Thailand.

Not Fade Away – 24th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

In every atom a universe
Where the sentient must survive
A speed of light, and so traverse
To keep life’s dream alive

Not fade away, cease to exist
Or slowly rendered rotten
The innate urge to persist
And never be forgotten

Without thought, without emotion
The proton set to dance
And swim the primordial ocean
Where life takes one more chance

Shared with No Theme Thursday picture prompt and also to dVerse’s MTB prompt about negation (which this poem sort of fits)

Today I’m feeling:

A little tired and dizzy. I felt both hot and cold this morning and had already decided to skip exercise this morning. It’s due to get cold again for a few days before we head back into smoky summer.

I managed to push through the day and felt a bit better by the end of it though still pretty exhausted.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

An online post at Girl Online that inspired me to write something today.

The best thing about today was:

Picking up some cheap guitar leads during my break after writing what I thought was a pretty good poem for my AllPoetry course, which is sometimes difficult to motivate myself for.

Something I learned today?

While TLC arranged for all the foreign teachers to go to the director’s father’s funeral this evening, all the Thai teachers went during work hours. Hmmm.

Nam took this picture because I wanted to see why my skin was hurting behind my ear. I’m guessing it’s from my new glasses.

Are the Nations United? – 23rd January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

A petulant contrarian takes his bat and ball
Play by his rules or don’t play at all
You’re welcome to sit at the children’s table
Your membership card is purely a label

Majorities are a democratic dream
Sold the fantasy to the extreme
Somehow claiming the moral high ground
But where only the minority is found

Now as the world turns slowly burning
Eyes open to the virtues returning
Consign the child to go play at home
Where he can wonder why he’s all alone

Today I’m feeling:

Ok in the morning with exercise, coffee and hanging with the kids. My classes were ok, though I could feel a little sense of doubt in myself today. I’m not sure where that has come from.

After my second class, I had thought that I could stay around to do my grading but I felt so exhausted that I decided I couldn’t wait to check out and came home and got into bed, asking Amy to wake me again after 90 minutes.

I kinda dozed and felt a little better for a while afterwards but still not 100%.

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Art giving a suggestion for someone to renovate Kim’s room. Along with someone Amy’s mum knows, we can get a price comparison.

The best thing about today was:

Nothing stands out today. My day at school was enjoyable enough until I ran out of energy and since then I’ve just felt flat.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

When I got home (and after my nap) Amy told me that her dad got bad news from his 6-month follow-up after his operation to remove his cancer. Now it’s back again and as they want to operate quickly, he (and Mum) won’t be able to go on the planned family trip to Japan.

On top of the stress of Amy’s brother returning to the family house recently, the family is a bit stressed at the moment.

Something I learned today?

Our school director’s father passed away and we got a message about his funeral details. People offered condolences to the message sender which I thought was a little odd and it then made me wonder: what is the director’s name and did anyone receiving the message even know?

Folks want to keep up appearances and, as Nancy said, ‘be respectful’ to go to this funeral. I guess I don’t fit in, finding it strange to go to the funeral of the father of a guy whose name I don’t know just because he runs the place I work at.

Poet’s Pledge – 22nd January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

Written as reward
Benevolent monarch hands
Meaning to illiterate minions
Clinging onto every word

Posted in advertisement
The philosophical sword
Hangs on a single hair
Virtue is written in sunlight

Submitted to AllPoetry’s ‘An Expression of Yourself’ course – Brevity.
With this assignment, I would like you to use metaphor and simile. Focus on the ordinary but make it something more expansive to where your mind cannot find the outer walls of the images.

As an extra idea, I also put this through the N+7 machine and used (mostly) the results from N+14

The Monogram Handlers

Written as rhythm
Benevolent monogram handlers
Medic to immigrant misanthropes
Clinging onto every works

Posted in affair
The philosophical synagogue
Happenings on a single half-life
Vision is written in superlative

Today I’m feeling:

Great, despite less hours of sleep than normal, as the drama from last night involved many phone calls and discussion, past our usual sleep time.

Getting up a little earlier this morning allowed me ample time for exercise and doing that has energised me. I really need to use this as motivation and do it all the time. Even if I’m not losing the weight that I would like my general well-being is very much improved.

I cancelled both my classes today; there is an event on, which I will go and check out mid-morning and then again around 1.30 and I’ll sneak home early because I still haven’t had a chance to check out this guitar pedal that I bought yet.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Nicha and August for playfully dancing with me when the school band was playing a song they knew. It almost felt like a celebration of them ending their childhood as they prepare to move up to grade 10 in May.

The best thing about today was:

Hanging out with my students, old and current and enjoying the atmosphere in school as we all watched beauty pageants and school bands perform.

I even got a little more exercise as I played football with some of my grade 8 boys, though to be honest, I was starting to feel old and stiff as I was kicking the ball around.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Hayden tried to call me a couple of days ago when I was waiting at the hospital and I hadn’t remembered to call him back. Out in my room, I saw a message from Bronwyn saying that they are going to put their cat Casper to sleep as he is sick with something and not eating.

I called Hayden and he is pretty sad about it. I commiserated with him and we spent a good half hour catching up on both our news. He was a bit more cheerful by the end.

It had only been ten minutes before that Amy and I were talking about being prepared for both our old boys to go too.

Something I learned today?

I went to Gui’s new shop today which is part of a hostel near Jetyod so he should get a fair bit of easy custom once he’s got things up and running.

Art showed up a few minutes after I arrived too and we all chatted for a bit. I managed to do a little writing and marvelled at the accents of the English backpackers that were around.

I took this picture because I was laughing at my naughty grade 10 students as they were washing up after their stall had finished for the afternoon.

Symbiotic Harmony – 21st January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday will not come back;
very soon tomorrow will take a crack;
There is little else to do in the world except care.

And so today I will bring
together all the ideas to sing
and present them to the whole world to share.

I think I borrowed the first two lines from somewhere but forget where now!

Today I’m feeling:

OK though a little flat because my sleep app alarm didn’t go off (or I didn’t hear it) again and when we normal alarm went off a few minutes later it meant there wasn’t enough time to exercise and so I enjoyed a couple of snoozes instead. The downside of this is not feeling so energised as when I do exercise.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Lots of free time today, though I spent most of it doing school stuff rather than being inspired to write.

The best thing about today was:

All my interactions with students, as usual. Otherwise, I felt a bit flat for most of today.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Before my first class started David told me that classes don’t start until 9.30 today due to the student election. It was quite funny because I’m usually the one telling him about some disruption to our classes.

Despite the disruption, the kids came at nine and today’s lesson was very straightforward so we got it all done in time.

But then, ten minutes before my second class, after a four-hour break, half my students told me that they couldn’t come today because they are preparing for an event tomorrow.

I was slightly annoyed but managed to just do some speaking practice with those who turned up and took it easy. It was quite fun but a little boring and repetitive for me.

And….as we’re in bed this evening, we got a disturbing phone call from one of Amy’s friends about a surprising drama unfolding.

The fallout could affect a close group of friends. I’m a little removed from it but I think Amy will struggle to sleep tonight.

Something I learned today?

Momo talked to me today that one of her classmates wanted to do more speaking practice in my classes and doesn’t understand why I get them to write so much when they don’t understand what they are writing.

It’s tough for me to satisfy everyone in the class and for some of them to understand the benefits of reading and writing in general when i only teach them for two hours a week. They have two hours with a Thai teacher too but that’s it for their English learning each week.

I’ll see what I can do for them though. I think the current lot of lessons I have about emotions will work well for them.

We Don’t Need Another Poem – 20th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 24 Comments

We don’t need another poem
Out of the holidays, out of the seasons
Don’t make the same mistake again
Rolling seas and moonlight are not reasons
To write another one the same
And I wonder when are we ever gonna change
A prompt repeated ’til nothing else remains

We don’t need another poem
We don’t need the same old metaphors
All we want is life beyond
Another simile that simply bores

I know it’s something we can rely on
But there’s got to be better out there
Love and nature, their day is done
Just another castle built in the air
And I wonder when we are ever gonna change
A prompt repeated ’til nothing else remains

We don’t need another poem
We don’t need the same old similes
All we want is life beyond
Another metaphor to simply please

So what do we do with our lives?
We leave only a mark
Will our poem shine like a light
Or end in the dark?
Give it all or nothing

We don’t need another poem
About autumn, Christmas or Halloween
All we want is life beyond
Another set of rhymes already seen

To the tune of We Don’t Need Another Hero. After following a number of poetry prompt blogs for more than 12 months now I found it a little amusing that the same seasonal themes return again.

It’s more an observation than a criticism as I rarely bother to write about seasons specifically, or holidays (especially if they are not relevant to my location). Folks can write about whatever makes them happy. It’s easy to not read something! But I do like to be challenged by the writer to perhaps come at the prompt from a new angle for a change.

26th Sep 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – fall

Today I’m feeling:

Good today, less pain in my shoulder and energetic after a good little workout this morning, skipping push-ups when asked by the app.

First two classes were fun but I’ll be glad when the last one is finished, though I still have to go to the hospital after getting home.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

The doctor who had the pleasure of fingering my prostate and the nurse who smushed in some kind of gel after he finished. What a job! Easy for me, I just had to lie there.

My prostate is fine, though just enlarged due to my age.

The best thing about today was:

A cheap Chinese guitar pedal that has good reviews finally arrived today and got me excited. However, due to being at the hospital for about 3 hours, I’ve run out of time to try it.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

The doctor recommended a cystoscopy (sp?), which doesn’t sound like fun. Sticking a camera down my peehole to see if there is any obstruction.

I’m quite curious about it, to be honest, but the downside of the procedure is that it will cost 10,000 baht. I made an appointment for next month but not sure if I will do it yet.

Something I learned today?

Metal Storm gun fires 450,000 rounds per minute from five barrels and intercepts hypersonic missiles. The US Phalanx system fires 4,500 rpm.

When Incommunicable, Stay This Way – 19th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Cyanide words in hot Julys
Sticky skin and fireflies
Warm and breezy, pulled outside
Golden hours of calm collide

Sweet and bold youth is claimed
Self-reflections blush ashamed
Come back again once gone astray
Beg the child to stay this way

The war that comes forces change
In adolescence turning strange
The inner child is shutting doors
To light dancing across the floors

To find the love in light tonight
To find the words burning bright
Experiments in consciousness
The honesty earned to confess

To the streets, to the skies
Cyanide words in hot Julys

Inspired and paraphrased by this post at Spinning Visions
19th Feb 2025 – Shared with Moonwashed Weekly Prompt prompted by the word unpretending.

Today I’m feeling:

Ok again. Perhaps a little tired. I woke up before my alarm and the sleep app seems to be telling me that I usually only sleep for 7.5 hours.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Going to the city to try Bear Grill pizza for a change.

The best thing about today was:

Playing guitar and diving back into reading Stray Bullets again. Awesome.

Something I learned today?

Looking through RedNote today, I decided to search for punk and found a stack of USAsians asking about Chinese punk bands and so I realised that I need to make some posts about all the stuff I have in the tenzenmen catalogue.

I took this picture because this is hands down the best pizza that I’ve had in Chiang Rai.

Back To The World – 18th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

In the autumnal airs, crinkled brown
A leaf falling is looking for a place to live
That big old house where we melted cheese
Time told us not to get old, to forgive

Pushing and pulling at different doors
What did the squirrels squeak watching in?
At 4am a split second of thought
Was a sadness that solved everything

Inspired by this post at Tiny Hearts

2025-01-18

Today I’m feeling:

Better rested, though my sleep app tells me I still didn’t make it to 8 hours of actual sleep. My shoulder is still waking me up at times during the night and I’d like to get a massage this weekend if possible. The trouble is finding a decent massage shop.

Riding back from coffee, I felt quite inspired and energetic, thinking perhaps to go with Amy for a little bike ride or to the sourdough shop in the city and perhaps finding a massage shop.

Amy was still in her pyjamas, though and didn’t seem particularly thrilled to go out today as we will go into the city tomorrow afternoon for pizza. So I decided on some reading and video watching until lunchtime.

Amy made a killer potato bake with carrots covered in cheese and as I started eating, a wave of tiredness overcame me. I managed to let lunch digest for a while before heading to bed for some comic reading and an afternoon nap, which I fell into deeply and felt quite refreshed on waking up again, so I headed out to my room to play guitar.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Seeing a hoopoe in the garden this morning. I only know its name because I had to look it up. I’ve never seen a bird like it here before.

The best thing about today was:

Nothing in particular. It’s been a good, relaxing day all round. No highs, no lows. I’m glad to have a day off from exercise, to help my shoulder recover and also because my legs were feeling it after yesterday too.

Something I learned today?

The looming ban on TikTok in the USA has seen USAsians flocking to a Chinese app called RedNote and it has opened many eyes to the reality of China. It’s the exact opposite of what the ban intended.

I took this picture because Piti was chilling this morning.

Crank Callers – 17th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

It’s the new crank call
A bridgeless troll
A keyboard warrior
In private euphoria

It’s a disconnection
On-screen reflection
On enters press
Eternal numbness

It’s a devil’s advocate
A spineless strut
A hit-and-run
Of thoughtless fun

It’s the new crank call
The death of soul
A bridgeless troll
The blackest hole

Inspired and paraphrased from this post at Sphere Letters

Today I’m feeling:

Not bad, though I slept very poorly with odd thoughts floating around. I still got up and exercised. The course is getting a little harder each day now, so I’m having to just do what I can.

My first class was rowdy but fun and at the end I followed them downstairs where David was finishing up trying to teach about situational and dramatic irony to the grade 9s. Great challenge but way over most of their skill levels.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

A couple of hours spent at Couple Cups where I caught up on some reading but wasn’t inspired enough for more writing. Not to worry, the words will come when they are ready.

The best thing about today was:

Only 12 students showed up for my last class (grade 11) and it meant that I could talk a little more with each of them and there was a good feeling as the work provoked some thoughts about character, both their own and others.

Something I learned today?

Apparently the director is talking about adding another 1000 students to the school next year! WTF! Where? How? Who is gonna teach them!?

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Pep talks with a couple of students.

I took this picture because Amy is happy to see her little succulent garden doing well.