Tag: poetry

The Play – 19th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Of course, I am the hero
This is my poem after all!
Well-intentioned and rational
Justice must be my call

So you must be the villain
A poet must have a foe!
Conjuring a dastardly plan
Laughing maniacally so

We take action as we believe
Ignorant of a better way
Both deceived by our duty
In this game of life we play

Today I’m feeling:

Good again. I’m enjoying the feeling of being revitalised from my morning exercise. I woke up with a start this morning, though, which was good in that I wasn’t waking before my alarm like earlier this week.

For some reason, I was dreaming about opening a (?) for my student, Fah, and I also had an impression that I had been dreaming about an old workmate, Steve. I’m not sure why they were roaming around in my subconscious.

My first class was fun and straightforward but the two-hour break following it has made me tired and uninspired. I will teach the same lesson again soon to another class of the same grade but I’m doubting it will go as well. I may be doubting myself here rather than the students.

(After) Although the second class was a little more difficult to deal with, everyone at least submitted something to me, whilst some of my first class just left because they couldn’t answer the questions and weren’t interested in asking me for help.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

My student, Spain, who filled me in on some classroom gossip from his perspective. He’s a year older than everyone else as he has some kind of quirky autism which held him back a year and whilst he struggles to interact in a ‘normal’ manner, he’s fairly bright and knowledgeable and today I discovered that he is particularly observant.

He told me how he sees everything that is going on, who is with who, when they come and go, lots and lots of details. It was interesting to talk with him but also tiring as I struggled to hear him through his face mask and the sudden twists and turns he makes in conversation.

The best thing about today was:

Buying a punnet of strawberries at the walking street and scoffing them all with coconut ice cream, yoghurt and mini-Toblerones in a big bowl. So much for all that exercise and trying to lose weight!

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

I was not inspired to write after a provocative (to me) comment was posted on my poem, Christmas In Gaza, that I read this morning.

I’ve left the comment there without response but it essentially boils down to divisions through religion – ie, my god is better than yours. There’s no reasoning with this, so I’ll not engage.

Internally, though, the rage of hypocrisy burns so brightly. I need to let it go. It’s not my business what others choose to believe.

A few minutes after writing this, I started thinking about how things in general these days are about winning and losing and while some folks lose online arguments, others are losing their lives and the winners are rewriting their histories in some form or another. This triggered off a flow of words and I managed to get the bad feeling out.

Something I learned today?

Hong Kong is the only city in the world that uses seawater to flush its toilets.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

This morning, I encouraged Baipad to finish off a drawing she had started and when I messaged her this evening, asking her what the best thing about her day, it was that she had finished it.

Amy sent me this lovely picture of Tigger today.

Christmas In Gaza – 18th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 10 Comments
Article at sbs.com.au

Love and peace to all men
Your silent night, broken again
Tidings of comfort and joy
Burst wide open as bombs deploy

A Christmas, warm and bright
Lit by a white phosphorus light
Celebrating the birth of hope
Where none is found under microscope

The platitudes of seasonal cheer
Have lost all their meaning here
Peace unto you, my brother
“All I want for Christmas is my mother”

Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – holiday anxieties

Today I’m feeling:

Good, once I got moving. Since a recent iPhone update, my alarm only seems to vibrate, no light and no volume. Usually, it’s enough to wake me but this morning Amy heard it vibrating and wearily shouted at me to get up! I guess I was tired!

As I’d been waking up before my alarm for the last week or so, my brain was probably thinking that it couldn’t be time to get up yet.

Some tough exercise this morning and in my half awake state I struggled keeping my balance at times. The positive effects from it have carried me through, though and I feel good.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Dutchie sending me the photos that I asked him for, which he took this morning. As we were waiting for the flag ceremony, we were talking about fashion, and Achang showed up wearing a denim jacket. I told them that denim jackets are kind of a 70s/80s style for me and not really in fashion.

I asked him if I could try it on and he let me whilst Dutchie took some pictures. I said that it’s a little too big for Achang and he told me that it actually belongs to his sister.

I thought I looked quite good in it.

The best thing about today was:

Soldiering through a slow workday, where only having to work three hours feels quite tiring, as there is too much downtime. I managed to stick it out until clock-out time by sitting in the cafe. I saw lots of my students walk by outside and Noah was excited to tell me that she and Lin have been chosen to help with the visiting overseas students next month.

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

Recently, I have been less interested in reading poetry. I think I have been overwhelmed with so much to read on prompt blogs and it’s burned me out. It always feels like a chore to analyse someone else’s work in the hope that they return the favour. It’s the ‘like-for-like’ mentality of social media.

Of course, I want my work to be noticed. I think some of it is good and worthy. But to trawl through another 40 poems about the seasons or the moon is a burden I’m getting tired of.

I need to refine my search a bit and perhaps find new places to submit my work where it might get some more exposure. Looking around, though, there are a million poets of all shapes and flavours, all looking for the same thing. I’ll just keep on writing anyway and do appreciate the people who do take the time and interest to read and respond.

Something I learned today?

In an odd coincidence, whilst I was talking with my grade 12s today, Alyn hung up a phone call from a name I recognised as a Facebook friend of mine but I had recently been wondering who it was, as they were using a different name.

She told me that it was her brother and that made me even more curious. It turns out that her brother is my old grade 9 student Achang!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I received a message back from Anchan this morning, just stating that she is unhappy and I wasn’t really able to offer her any consolation. I reminded her that she told me that her aunt was coming in the next couple of days and that she was hoping for things to get better. I haven’t heard back again, though.

Noey sent me this picture from Utopia this morning because she will fly back to Bangkok, having finished her university life. I had been there earlier and hoped to bump into her before she left, but it wasn’t to be. I told her that I thought that she would be back someday anyway.

Lady Of Situations – 17th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

The knights felt themselves so gallant
One by one they knocked at her door
As if their poorly tested talent
Were enough to interest and explore

Their eyes focused purely on her dresses
She saw through their prods of deceit
Her castle would not receive their messes
Until their charms were removed of conceit

Their suits of armour soon became rusted
As they waited in impatient rains
Self-aware they weren’t to be trusted
And soon tired of playing their own games

What gift for the lady of situations?
The one who wants none of your gold
Deaf to their empty wild explanations
She’s chosen her own heart to hold

Today I’m feeling:

Really good after invigorating exercise this morning. It’s cold this morning but as I’m charged up from the exercise, I’m ok with just a shirt.

All the kids are asking me if I’m cold, as they are wearing thick jackets already. I can feel that it is cold but I’m not really feeling it. It’s 18 degrees, so still a nice English summer morning!

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Both of my classes today being very accommodating and easy to teach, though admittedly I had stretched this lesson, about the TV show Hormones, out across two weeks, so that this week all they are required to do is some writing.

They all complain about writing and think that they aren’t learning anything – sometimes the best form of teaching!

The best thing about today was:

Along with the two classes was a four-hour break, which I enjoyed at 22 Grams as Couple Cups was closed.

I got some reading out of the way during this time but also felt that I didn’t have enough time to do all that I wanted. But that always seems to be the case.

Something I learned today?

Amy caught up with Nong Na for lunch today and then Amy caught me up on her news but most of all, I was happy to receive a gift of Toblerone from her!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I’ve been chatting with Nong Fah a little bit every day to try and help her with her English. She was upset with her art teacher because she wouldn’t let her take her artwork home to finish it. She showed me a photo of the art and I was quite surprised at how good it was.

I’ve also been trying to contact Anchan, as when I saw her yesterday, she was in a really bad mood, and today she didn’t come to school.

A teacher in his natural habitat. One of my grade 12 students had an old-school digital camera and was experimenting.

Demon Seeds – 16th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The enemies of fun
Gather in dim-lit halls
Conjuring up devils
Eager to answer the calls

The enemies of fun
Are sowing their demon seeds
Of doubt and despair
On which their evil feeds

The enemies of fun
Are quick to infect
Spread their disease
Unable to detect

The enemies of fun
Multiply within
Mind twisting scared
Unable to begin

Today I’m feeling:

Good so far, as I’m waiting for my first coffee. Getting up, exercising, and breakfast all part of the routine now. No cold shower this morning, though.

I remember in my dream complaining about a sore hip and then waking up uncomfortable with an aching hip! Is this what happens when we get old?

Aing was also in my dream and she needed to pee – am I having someone else’s pee dreams too now!?

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The different pairs of shows that I’ve found online recently. One of the pairs was causing me pain in my big toe again, so I switched to a different pair today and that has seemed to help.

I also came across the fact that there is a podiatrist at Bangkok Hospital and I will save up some money to go there and see if I can get some specific inserts made for me again.

22nd May 2026 – I still haven’t done this…

The best thing about today was:

Talking with Jet and Fah about a topic of debate that they had in a Thai language class about love and sex in school.

I was a little surprised to hear that they both thought that they should wait until they are 18 before having sex. I think it’s a good enough idea though, so long as they are all aware of protection and educated about it.

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

I was annoyed to see George turn up 15 minutes late to class as I heard his students shout over the balcony, ‘Why are you late?’ and then after 45 minutes in class, he let them go an hour early!

I know that I shouldn’t get bothered by what other people do, but it’s hard for me not to get upset by it.

First Snowy Morning – 15th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 19 Comments

Outside the window, I giggle in delight
The first feel of snow after a silent night
This day of love has already seen me grow
Because this feeling, I thought I’d never know

I found myself once finding my tribe
Along with a love I could only describe
Now felt without any suffocating
All this time patiently waiting

The love was always right under my nose
Because I could cry at heart-wrenching prose
Intoxicated walking along the city street
Even enthralled by the glass and concrete

I will sip this love through a golden straw
And take it home to the Eastern shore
Where the soft dusty snow ignites
A love for this garden of delights

Inspired by this post at Spinning Visions
8th Jan 2026 – Shared with Esther Chilton’s writing prompt #98 – snow
21st Jan 2026 – Shared with dVerse Poetics – snow

Today I’m feeling:

Good and rested, though I did have to rush to the toilet just before sleeping as all the food I ate today decided it required a quick exit. My stomach is still feeling a little off this morning.

Last night it started raining, which was a bit of a surprise, though now that the rainy season is over, any rain is appreciated. It’s also cooler during the day, almost pleasant weather!

(Later) As the rain settled to a steady drizzle, the air stayed chilly and I spent a fair few hours just lying in bed under the doona and reading.

By bedtime, stepping out of the shower felt unbearably cold and I chuckled to myself as it was only last week when I was wondering when it was finally going to cool down. Be careful what you wish for.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The old guy fruit seller who always offers me a plastic bag, which I refuse. Today he asked me if I was cold, as I was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt and to be honest, I was cold. He grabbed my arm and told me that I am strong.

The best thing about today was:

Lots of reading, especially enjoying the Aussie comic Platinum Grit.

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

I bought a pack of fruit at the market and dropped it around to Baipad along with 40 baht, matching what she saved herself last week.

She was sitting on the salon bench playing an online game on her phone and couldn’t drag herself away from it. I dropped the fruit on her lap and stuffed the 40 baht down the back of her shirt and she didn’t even blink.

Ah well. Kids these days!

Something I learned today?

TikTok is like crack! Even I’m sucked in now that the suggestions are tuned to what I want to see. The theory of this is disturbing, but oddly, I’m finding that the information provided is far more useful than anywhere else, like YouTube or Instagram.

Storm And Stress – 14th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

When the beat of the drum becomes a banging
and frontlines full of dead men left hanging,
let’s raise white flags, redraw maps and decide
unstable future’s by inequitable divide

Wheels forever turn
Bloods boil and burn
Guns forever bang
Repeat sturm und drang

Shared with dVerse Quadrille #214 – bang

Today I’m feeling:

Ok but a little bit old man-weekendy. Having nothing in particular planned for today, beyond reading and playing guitar, without any externally imposed anxiety, means a deep unwinding which may fall into lethargy. A lethargy that doesn’t always make me happy.

At the same time, I realise that I also need to recover my energies.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

A new ice cream shop in the city that makes some nice homemade flavours, along with some cakes. I had Banoffee Pie ice cream with a piece of lemon tart and they were both delicious.

The best thing about today was:

Getting half price sushi buffet at Oshinei today. Typically, we ate too much, trying to get all the value that we could out of the deal.

We are both stuffed with just the one meal today!

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

We went to the new Bath and Body Works that has opened for the first time in Chiang Rai. It was a smaller shop and a little underwhelming and it felt like everything was expensive just because we were in Chiang Rai.

Usually, when we visit this shop, it is in Chiang Mai or Bangkok and we have an expectation of overspending here!

Something I learned today?

We will get a week off for the New Year holiday this year. Nice!

Aing called us today and told us that she broke up with Now (which wasn’t that big of a surprise to be honest) but she also said that she has found another guy at her workplace (not in the same team though) and she looked super, super happy again.

I took this picture because some of my students call me Teacher Spoon, as my name in Thai sounds similar.

Watermelon – 13th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

The fertile soils know nothing of humanity
As it is tilled into dust
Masses of molecules, ambivalent
To all the partitions discussed

Oblivious to gods, watermelons grow
In amongst the shouts
The squawks of the barbarian
Echo along the valley of doubts

Bring another flood to wash clean
The fields of blood
Plant the watermelon seeds
In this god-forsaken mud

Never mind the river or the sea
There’s no mountain owned
All the king’s horses and men
Will see the kings dethroned

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good, waking before my alarm again, though I did sleep earlier last night too. The BetterMe exercises are really getting me going in the morning, along with a cold start shower afterwards, meaning I step under the shower and turn on the tap to get about 15 seconds of cold water before it warms up.

It has finally gotten cold enough to not have aircon at night but I still have the fan on at the moment.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Whoever makes the cookies that they sell at Le Paradis. I just have to control myself from buying them every day!

The best thing about today was:

My last class of the day with the grade 11 Hospitality students and J-Biz students. It was a light-hearted, fun class about Japanese culture, in keeping with the theme of the week.

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

I had to deduct points from more than half of my grade 8 students for not doing their work for me yesterday and it made me decide that I need to deal with them a little differently.

Today, I immediately graded all their work in front of the whole class. Not in a vindictive manner, but in a way that they can immediately see the outcome of what they do, or lack thereof.

Something I learned today?

I randomly came across an album online that had a picture of the artists on the cover and one was almost the spitting image of Hayden, from the facial hair to the cap and clothes. I sent him the picture and he laughed about it too.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Nomsen absent-mindedly left her iPad behind in the classroom, so I picked it up for her to keep safe. A few minutes later, she called me and I told her that I had sold it at the market for 10 baht.

She laughed and soon came back to get it, looking a little sheepish. She was appreciative of my taking care of her but also acknowledged that she had just had ten points deducted in SchoolBright due to her not doing any work for me yesterday.

I guess my class wasn’t exciting enough for these two this morning.

First Page Poem – 12th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

Despite the forbidding blank page
I still write
Despite the disquieting dread rage
I still fight

Despite the illusions cast in light
I still see
Despite the end almost in sight
I still be

Despite the rocky paths ahead
I still ride
Despite promises the tiger said
I still hide

Despite the gold in my hand
I still need
Despite the words that are banned
I still read

Despite the worry of the yield
I still feed
Despite the crows across the field
I still seed

Despite the depression taking hold
I still strive
Despite this train now grown old
I still arrive

Shared with dVerse Poetics: “Despite and Still“

Today I’m feeling:

Great, despite getting up a couple of times in the night, the second time with forty minutes before my alarm was due to go off. I contemplated just getting up but managed to get back into a light sleep before the alarm roused me again.

Day 2 of BetterMe exercise was tough as it was concentrating on arms, so involved different types of push-ups, which my weakling little arms and dodgy shoulder still struggle with.

At school, I wandered around talking with students at the different stalls for Japan Day and everyone was in a good mood. I particularly enjoyed watching my students submit the tasks that I assigned them instead of having a class. I got them counting to ten, taking cosplay photos and singing songs. Some students surprised me, though not the lazy ones who didn’t bother to submit anything.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Free time. With no classes today, I spent a lot of time wandering around school and sitting in the cafe.

Eventually, I had had enough and decided to come home early with the idea of telling the school that I forgot to sign out when I left today.

Because of all the free time, I got to prepare a lot of my photocopies for my visa application, clear up the backlog of poetry to read and get back to the garage as they didn’t plug the reversing camera back in yesterday.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling on top of things in general. Not one thing stands out in particular today.

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

My lazy students bothered me a little bit today but only in that they made me work harder chasing them up throughout the day and evening.

Personally, their laziness is their choice and doesn’t actually affect me.

Something I learned today?

I am delighted to see that Nong Praew is super happy in her new school. I hope she does well there, where she seems to have some friends.

I took this picture because this girl said that she is one of my students but I didn’t recognise her! I later figured out that it was Aom.

Fishing – 11th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Weak in direction

Wandering in thought
Diffident impulses

Waiting to be caught



Careless of failure

A broad range reception

Cast a wide net

Contemplate reflection



Immediate impression

Accepting anything

Start with a tiddler

From a little spring



Can’t be kept from thinking

Waiting for a nibble

Watch the river flow
Into an inky scribble

Inspired by part of the essay The Way of Writing by William Stafford

Today I’m feeling:

Fairly invigorated and cautiously happy. I have a little tiredness behind my eyes.

I subscribed to a BetterMe exercise program and started it this morning. It was pretty straightforward with some new exercises for me. When I arrived at school my body felt great from the workout I had given it. Sitting in the cafe before my first class, though, I can feel a sluggishness coming on. Hopefully, my first class pep me up again.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The BetterMe app.

A tip before subscribing: I searched for BetterMe promo codes and followed one of the links, which gave me a 50% discount. I then filled out the form required and submitted it, but didn’t respond to the email.

In the following 24 hours, I received a follow-up with a further incentive of 80% more discount. The price I am more than comfortable with.

I’m also going to figure out a way to save the workouts so I can continue using them after my subscription is completed – not forgetting to cancel it before being charged the full rate.

The best thing about today was:

I really enjoyed my quick afternoon grade 10 class where I turned the tables on them and asked them to make questions based in the text they saw on Monday.

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

When I arrived at my grade 12 class this morning, they all cried that they wanted to go and help with things for Japan Day tomorrow.

I was also thinking about what I can ask my grade 8 students to do tomorrow, as they will definitely ask me to attend instead of studying.

So I figured to kill two birds with one stone and asked my grade 12 students to come up with ten tasks that I can ask the grade 8s to complete during the event.

They are smart enough and came up with them quickly and then went off to help. I went to the teacher’s room for a little while and when I came back to check on the room, all the students were there again, saying that there was nothing left for them to do!

I let them have free time rather than try to cram in some work for them.

Something I learned today?

I checked out the Bluesky app as it has been talked about as the new better Twitter but to me it just looked like a dumbed-down version of Substack, which I will stick with instead.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

It was Fah’s birthday today so I bought her a slice of cake.

I took this picture because my grade 10 students seem to enjoy my class.

Here And Now – 10th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

Quiet
contemplation;
“Home is where the heart is,”
yet, I am far away
overlooking
sunsets

Poetry Form :- Badger Hexastich ( 2/4/6/6/4/2 syllables) (thanks kittyverses) – shared with Reena’s Xploration Challenge #359 and What’s Going On – homecoming

Today I’m feeling:

A little slow to go after sleeping well. Waiting for the coffee to kick in.

We have a funeral ceremony to attend in Mae Chan this morning. Baew’s dad’s friend was in a car accident on Sunday and died tragically.

A short trip between their houses, he thought it didn’t require a seat belt, which sadly, may have saved him. It is a reminder to all of us.

A headache came on during the morning, probably from sleeping in a weird position, as my neck is constantly cracking.

At the funeral, I was hungry, tired and dizzy, wondering how many of these are ahead before my own.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The new Android device that Amy paid to put into Mum’s old car and which does seem to successfully do mostly what I would like it to do.

The best thing about today was:

Fiddling around in the old car, setting up the audio and discovering other things that can be done, along with making it smell nice.

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

I had to lie down for a while and have a bit of a sleep after the funeral. My headache was pretty annoying but thankfully had gone after waking up again.

Something I learned today?

After the funeral today, Amy told me that the wife of the uncle who died felt sure that he crashed his car on purpose after an argument with his spoiled, drug-addicted 40-year-old son.

Crazy if true, but it does explain how it could have happened because camera evidence and the site of the crash didn’t seem to indicate anything untoward.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

At the cafe in the morning, I took back the plates and cups I had used to the counter. I think the staff were a bit surprised.

I dropped a book of mazes to Baipad and Namhom today. Neither of them seemed that impressed, Namhom in particular, as she was glued to an exciting game on her phone.

Screenshot