Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Haiku for famous paintings 2

the only thing common
between the young lady and rose
the spring of life

A Summer Rose (1913)
By : Emile Vernon
Oil on canvas, 64.7 x 54.6 cm
Public collection

childhood happiness
ripples over the face
like a gracious river

Best of Friends (1917)
By : Emile Vernon
Oil on canvas, 64.8 x 54 cm
Private collection

tenderness
the eyes shinning with love
and the lips carrying a smile

An Elegant Lady With A Yellow Rose
By : Emile Vernon
Oil on canvas, 54.7 x 65.4 cm
Private collectiona

Haiku for Famous paintings

forentine beauty
floating in a dream
of lace and love

inspired by painting
A Pair Of Florentine Beauties - Pic 1
By : Tito Conti (1842-1924)
Oil on canvas, 51 x 40.5 cm
Public collection

Florentine beauty
gentle as the lace
covering her

A Pair Of Florentine Beauties - Pic 2
By : Tito Conti (1842-1924)
Oil on canvas, 51 x 40.5 cm
Public collection

young beauty
gently covering the canvas
robustness of youth

A Young Beauty
By : Tito Conti (1842-1924)
Oil on canvas, 41.9 x 52.7 cm
Public collection

love letter
lifting me up
like a flower

The Love Letter
By : Tito Conti (1842-1924)
Oil On Canvas, 85.5 x 62 cm
Private collection

waterfall outing fun
the fishes jump up
to greet us

watefall ouing fun
the fishes too
excited with joy

A Water Idyll
By : Hans Zatzka (1859-1945)
Oil on canvas, 80 x 61.6 cm
Private collection

night sky
beauty of dreams lighted up
by stars and angels

In The Night Sky
By : Hans Zatzka (1859-1945)
Oil on canvas, 55.9 x 76.2 cm
Private collection

the bulbous breasts
when other things dont
measure up

Harvest time
the joy of
togetherness

The Harvester
1868
By : William-Adolphe Bouguereau
France

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Youthful ecstasy haiku

youthful ecstasy
steel cannot
hold them in

youthful ecstacy
strong eough to
break through steel

it smoothens out
in marble to become
a couple madly in love

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=156742&id=100000879575317
Apollo and Daphne (1622-1625)
By : Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680)
Marble
Galleria Borghese (Rome, Italy)

Statue Haiku - Aeneas and Anchises

Aeneas and Anchises
we carry our memories
over each other

Aeneas and Anchises (1618-1619)
By : Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680)
Marble
Galleria Borghese (Rome, Italy)

memories of war
they weigh heavier than
all of us on the shoulders

warrior
baring all
for the country

Michelangelo's Angel with Candlestick
lighting it up
for the good news

Statue Haiku - The Genius of Liberty

the genius of liberty
it feels better than
having wings

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=156488&id=100000879575317&subject=123624217678740&ref=mf
The Genius of Liberty (1833)
By : Augustin Dumont (French, 1801–1884)
topping the July Column at the Place de la Bastille in Paris. Gilt bronze
H. 4 m (13 ft. 1 ¼ in.).
A bronze draft of the same work is also exhibited in the Louvre Museum

Haiku today - Cheers, cheers

hanoi puppet theatre
my memory runs
like clear water

50 and still unable
just to draw myself
myself well

budget ryokan
just small enough
for our warm memory

tenderness
the eyes shinning with love
and the lips carrying a smile

childhood happiness
when we have nothing
to hide

the only thing common
between the young lady and rose
the spring of life

harvest time
outside the field
the joy of togetherness

the bulbous breasts
when other things dont
measure up

cheers, cheers
the women and their contours
for the dance of life

Monday, July 19, 2010

Haiku - another sloppy bachelor

another sloppy bachelor
his potted plants
dying

chakras
i pray for
the chair of God

Haiku Today - death too tall a hat to wear

the city's dry humour
even the dropped glove showing
its middle finger

holding me on dearly
to the memory of Vietnam
Cham bulbous deities

mermaid
the days and waves come and go
my love is always here

mermaid
the only nude girl
on the beach

naked musician
cock up your ears
look at my flute

the steel willed wise man
never short of admirers
begging t be disciples

Michelangelo's Angel with Candlestick
lighting it up
for the good news


Michelangelo's cross carrying Christ
a trophy
in his hands

Michelangelo's David
pride weighs heavy
on the shoulders

Michelangelo's Mother and Child
heavy on the lap
the way of God
the way of the
God

Michelangelo's Saint Paul
'i am the witness of
Christ'

Michelangelo's Saint Paul
one small step
in the direction of Christ

Michelangelo's Saint Peter
the softness of his look
on the stone

Michelangelo's Saint Peter
even from the cast stone
the softness of his look

Michelangelo's Pius
harder than stone
his stares...

Giuliano de Medici tomb
a disciplinarian harder
as stones...

Lorenzo de Medici tomb
cold and quiet as stone
the man in thought..

demon
looking through
the folly of time

weapon
hold dearly to it
it is life

clash of civilisation
when technology
really differs

death
too tall
a hat to wear

if they will
just ask me
....

look at me
that's the way
to go

the elixir of life
you need to be strong like me
to take this

meinkampf look
it shoots me back
to slyvia plath's daddy

rock hard eyes
such a great trial to let go
of this world..

great great man
he can make something to last
longer than himself..

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Poem - A dish

I am a dish that talks
and usually i want the chef
to do his stuff my way
wishing this, wishing that
hoping to be the next best dish
to top the restaurant list

as the chef sprinkles
his spices and salt onto me
i diffident would complain of
the excesses, the overindulgent
use of veggies and mutton
or mollusks, mustard
vinegar and pepper
and even the overheating,
charbroiled, stir fried
steam cooked or stewed

i want it my way giving
little regard to the chef's expertise
for fear of becoming an
offensive blandness on
the tongues of the masters
over enthusiastic over
what would turn out of me

only when my fragrance
spreads over the table
to trigger that salivating
nerves in mouths that
the buddha himself would
jump over the wall to
have me in his belly that
i realise the chef is correct

he is cooking me and he knows
how best i should be served
that exquisiteness that could only
result from an original recipe
the chef himself knows best
how he should turn out his creation

i take the opportunity to ask him
what he finds most in the way
as he tries to realise his dream of me
and he says "Your load of bland ego
with the toughness of a three year old chicken."

'It takes such a long time to just
boil them down to edible portions.'

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

haiku - forever young

forever young
love never
grows old

Monday, July 12, 2010

Sparkles of the Diamond

like the sparkles on my diamond ring....i will never get tired of them...that is how a new day sparkles too...with all the sweetness of nature

Farhan Khan that's nice piece of writing!
July 5 at 5:41pm · Like ·

John Tiong Chunghoo inspired by my friend Peggy Johnson's posting -

Good morning wonderful world! Here we go again! Get your coffee ready and sing a song! The stars are bright :)
I'm hearing a rerun, "Good morning star shine...
I'm ready for this day!
July 5 at 5:47pm · Like ·

Peggy Johnson very beautiful words John :)
July 5 at 5:49pm · Like ·

John Tiong Chunghoo doing justice to the dawn of a new day.....paying respect...to the Creator.
July 5 at 5:50pm · Like · 2 people
·

Peggy Johnson I didn't refresh..didn't see the other posts. :) thank you my friend.
July 5 at 5:52pm · Like ·

Sulok Tawie alaaa jangan lah show, friend. nanti at the RWMF kena rob so how?
July 5 at 6:13pm · Like ·

Christa Sihombing i like it very much....
July 5 at 6:19pm · Like ·

Rhonda A Bishop Carpenter Good Morning my friend ~ Hugs from Arkansas USA this a.m. ~
July 5 at 6:43pm · Like ·

Elly Felicia wish to have a sparkling diamond that i cud never get tired of......... ;P
July 5 at 7:02pm · Like ·

Madeleine Ann Eugenie McMahon The 'diamond', "all the sweetness of nature,"ah, 'sweetness'!
July 5 at 7:30pm · Like ·

Madeleine Ann Eugenie McMahon The hardest natural material known...the diamond....
July 5 at 7:50pm · Like ·

Deborah Henry In communion with nature. Beautiful.
July 5 at 10:34pm · Like ·

Anne O'Neil beautiful sentiment John - thank you
July 5 at 11:03pm · Like ·

James Griffith Hannan ‎"The sparklers on American Independence Day
Reach always for the sky but like so many
They never get there"
July 6 at 4:53am · Like ·

haiku - New Maid

new maid
the housewife tells her
what not to do


Carole McDonnell ‎:-) Good one. Made me smile.
July 6 at 8:19pm · Unlike · 1 person
·

Anthony Vincent wah ~i think that housewife is rich ......right john bro ?? : )
July 6 at 8:37pm · Unlike · 1 person
·

Daniel Fernandez I like it when you're playful John
July 6 at 9:08pm · Unlike · 1 person
·

John Tiong Chunghoo playful like Chisai.
July 6 at 9:23pm · Like ·

Daniel Fernandez Hahaha yes, like Chiisai. You playful with your words, she, playful with her soul.
July 6 at 11:24pm · Like ·

John Tiong Chunghoo ‎...

chip by chip
new chick cracks open
the world
July 6 at 11:25pm · Like · 1 person
·

Nahid Kabiri Smart!...that's all.
July 6 at 11:30pm · Like ·

Deborah Russell Nice one, John.
July 7 at 12:38am · Like ·

John Potts
My swallow family (in the front porch) have ALL hatched and are plumping up nicely!
/
on the step
in a baby swallow's eggshell
an ant

— jp
http://www.facebook.com/pages/haiku-crossroads/124507644228482
July 7 at 2:13am · Like ·

Su Huo Soon the first one must be ...dont touch my boyfrens....rite.....hahaha
July 7 at 8:25am · Like ·

John Potts ‎?
July 7 at 9:29am · Like ·

Daniel Fernandez The housewife tells the maid not to touch her boyfriend, I guess.
July 7 at 10:07am · Like ·

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Poem - Mirror

there is a gentle quiet repose about truths
the mirror holds them up so well
zen so well apportioned it crystalises
the world harmoniously to itself
we have all the respect for it
everyday we go up to it
to soak up its sublime honesty
smile and go face the world
as straight as we could
the part of us we love
we carry with gratefulness
a luminousity that lightens our steps
the part of us that slices up
our assurance of ourselves
we too carry with an ounce of dignity
like the mirror that never falters
in the face of adversities -scars, tortuous lines
that dig into the soul, claws that tear the hearts up,
shrivelled up looks, noses that go the wrong way, mouths
clefting like a mozart run awry

we throw in the grains
to help the mirror apportion
a better part of us to us
running through every corridor
of the selves, without fear or favour
in the spirit of the mirror
promising an enlightened trail friends
can rest their heart with ours
a zen mirror where strengths and
weaknesses, paradoxes and shortfalls
dance over our eyes with the
exquisiteness of a new and promising dawn


Annabel Haldane Nash wonderful, thanks John
July 7 at 9:00pm · Like ·

Daniel Fernandez Very nice John, thank you for sharing. Hugs.
July 7 at 9:19pm · Like ·

John Potts
"Each day I try to face the world more as it is." - Dali Lama
at the museum
tribal masks behind glass...

July 7 at 9:49pm · Like ·

Deborah Henry Beautiful and uplifting. Thanks, John.
July 7 at 10:08pm · Like ·

Daniel Fernandez Ha!!! Will the real John stand up.
July 7 at 11:31pm · Like ·

Michael Stevens Excellent! Thanks you John.
July 8 at 2:28am · Like ·

Gina Oceguera yes i did!!!love it..thank you John...beautiful........
July 8 at 2:47am · Like ·

Rositza Pironska nice!
July 8 at 3:26am · Like ·

Anne O'Neil it's great John, thank you - love the lines:

"our expectation of ourselves
we too carry with an ounce of dignity"
...
July 8 at 6:00am · Like ·

Rhonda A Bishop Carpenter Bravo ~ \o/ throwing of Red Rose Buds to you John
July 8 at 8:50pm · Like ·
aily Sedgwick Beautiful poem.
Saturday at 1:34pm · Like ·

Gina Oceguera John like always very very beautiful(*_*)
Saturday at 1:42pm · Like ·

Nayeem 'orittro' Rahman ‎"clefting like a mozart run awry" that is one beautiful metaphor. it touched me..sincerely
Saturday at 2:27pm · Like ·

Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black Beautiful poem..Hope,love.life and appreciation!!Wonderful work,John.
Saturday at 10:30pm · Like ·

Dennis Chibi the mirror a metaphor you've used with skill and compassion, yet, be aware as Robert Burns put it "... to see the ourselves as others see us ..."
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/32281.html
17 hours ago · Like ·

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Flower Selling Girl

flower selling girl
at her quiet corner
a basket of dreams

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=142887&id=100000879575317

young turkish woman
in the calmness of her face
reverberating drum beats

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=142889&id=100000879575317&fbid=130282957011023


butterfly
i too would soar one day carrying
a paradise on my wings

new maid
the housewife tells her
what not to do

like the sparkles on my diamond ring....i will never get tired of them...that is how a new day sparkles too...with all the sweetness of nature

John thinks the planets and stars were at one time super intelligent beings. They found that is the only way to perpetuate their existence...and we are the breath of a super being...this earth..it is a being.....and we are a part of his instrumentations. One day we would be also planets and stars taking up space in the mind of our own instrumentations.

It is very backward to think that we need only this physique or body to survive. It is cumbersome and susceptible to so many diseases. One day scientists can help us live in the best conditions...in
in the mountains, in other universes or just transform us into a planet without losing their
human nature;

man
nature
personified...

the sea of emotions
roaring ..roar
the goal post is in our heart

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Fifa World Cup Germany triumphs Argentina 4-0

beauty is the world
at peace with itself
the lake carressing the sky

Fifa World Cup
the men, the goal, the roar
jeers and tears

the sea of emotions
roaring ..roar
the goal post is in our heart

Friday, July 2, 2010

Club Med Sahoro trip in December 2009

crispy - the air
light - the skis
thick - the snow and our joy

John was at Sahoro Club Med last December to experience snowland in the heart of Hokkaido. He was thrilled by the beauty of the thick snow on the mountains as well as the fun it gave.

Heart-warming moments in Sahoro
Storiy and pictures by JOHN TIONG

The freezing temperatures are worth putting up with as JOHN TIONG warms up to the festive launch of Club Med Sahoro in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido

THE snow falls continuously the night we arrive at Club Med Sahoro in Japan. Though the cold bites our skin, we don’t mind. In fact, we’re happy to be here in this quiet mountain resort in the centre of Hokkaido.

Our group, comprising journalists from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Malaysia, is here to witness the festive launch of the winter season.

Fireworks light up the sky and a long row of oil flames on metallic frames is set ablaze to add to the celebratory mood as we dine on the spread of food and wine at the bar terrace near the club lobby.

A large lighted ice carving of a flying horse charges the atmosphere at the venue where we watch a fire dance performance. It is amazing to see how a young woman, dressed only in a light outfit, manages to withstand the freezing temperatures for half an hour just to watch the show.

Deluxe Rooms

My deluxe twin room on the fifth floor has a stunning view of the hills and forests beyond and I can see pines and polar trees.

The room dècor is a blend of modern comfort with essential Japanese elements such as separate tatami flooring and wooden doors to the bathroom and toilet. Humidity is controlled by a humidifier and the toilet seat is kept warm electronically throughout the day.

In the reception lobby and elsewhere, antique skis and ski poles made of bamboo and wood adorn the walls. An element of Hokkaido is seen in the tapestry of the indigenous Ainu people, as well as their farm instruments and containers, which decorate the lobby walls as well as the corridors leading to the various parts of the resort.

Let It Snow...

Outside, snow falls in abundance in winter and every morning, tractors can be seen mowing away excess snow. Winter in Sahoro is synonymous with powdery snow and skiing.

A couple from Hong Kong, speaking in their distinct Cantonese dialect, are playing in snow up to their waist, enthusiastically taking pictures while a pair of young parents are spotted happily pulling their child along on a sled.

I hear a familiar English accent and turn to see a group of children, aged between six and eight, walking through the snow with skis in their hands. When I learn that they are Singaporeans, I feel a little jealous that they’re having fun skiing at such a young age while I can’t even ski.

Their instructor, a Caucasian woman, is teaching them to roll down a slope. The first few lessons sound simple enough, like walking on skis and keeping the skis away from each other but this is easier said than done.

Food All Day Long

Away from the ski grounds, my favourite pastime is to sit in the bar terrace, where I can admire the white landscape outside while sipping hot coffee and nibbling on the noonday snack of pancake with honey. The bar terrace serves wine, beer and a range of snacks till midnight.

The service staff at the restaurant and bar terrace come from different nationalities. There are Koreans, Taiwanese, Indonesians, Malaysians and Indians as well as people from other countries. I chat heartily with a Malaysian woman, Saleen Chan from Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur, who makes great pancakes and coffee for us every afternoon.

One thing about staying at Club Med — you never go hungry (even if you don’t carry cash) as food is almost an all-day affair and ranges from Japanese cuisine to Korean, Chinese and Western selections.

If you like Japanese, there’s sushi, rice, tsukemono (pickled white carrot, cucumber and cabbage), umehoshi (red sour plum), fish tempura, Hokkaido tofu, oysters, miso soup, nori (seaweed) and potato — all downed with sake and sho chu (hot liquor).

One corner is dedicated to dairy products from Hokkaido with blocks of cheese and butter while another features the rich catch from the sea surrounding this northernmost island of Japan.

Many in our group just can’t get enough of succulent oysters, best eaten with a squeeze of lime juice. What is surprising, however, is the absence of the famous tarabagani (Red Sea King Crab) that Hokkaido is famous for.

In one counter, a Japanese chef is slicing the deep red katsuo (skipjack tuna) and salmon for sashimi.

Korean staples like hot, spicy kimchi and bibimpab (rice dish) are available too, as there are a large number of Korean tourists here.

Eating in the main restaurant is a pleasant experience with lots of ice cream, fresh tropical fruit, apples and orange juice as well as aromatic coffee.

Apart from offering Hokkaido chocolates, biscuits and cookies, the hotel souvenir outlets stock Hokkaido specialties like horse oil soap which is said to be good for the complexion as well as horse oil hair shampoo and conditioners, sought after by tourists, especially the Japanese themselves.

Hotspring Experience

One thing you should not miss in Sahoro is a trip to the hotsprings or onsen bathhouses. The resort management can arrange such a trip and the hotsprings are about 15-20 minutes drive away. Some onsen have pools right outside the bathhouse. Imagine soaking in warm water while snow is falling down on you. We spend a pleasant afternoon admiring the snowfall and scenery while the warm water keeps us from freezing.

Skiing Holiday Offer

IF you love skiing or have always wanted to learn this exciting winter sport, Club Med Sahoro has a great offer that’s not to be missed. For the winter season that’s on till the first week of April, you only pay RM800 per adult per night and you’ll have fun learning to ski, stay in a twin-share room with free flow of coffee, beer, wine and three meals taken care of as well as live entertainment. The rate for child aged 4-11 is RM480 per night.

With return flight and coach transfers at RM2,800 per adult before sur charge and taxes (which can be arranged through the Club Med Kuala Lumpur office, Tel: 03-2161 4599), you can have a thrilling winter sports experience without needing to spend more.

A 6D/5N tour, including food, accommodation and ski lessons, costs RM4,000 per adult. Ski equipment like skis, poles and boots is RM217 per day (adult) and RM175 (child). Adult pants and jackets ski wear is RM130 per day while a child’s is RM93. If you rent them for three days, you get the next two days for free. So for about RM8,000 per adult in all, you can have a really beautiful holiday in Hokkaido with lots of sweet memories to bring home.

Fast Facts

Like all Club Med properties, the location of Club Med Sahoro in the centre of Hokkaido, 140kms from Sapporo, has been chosen for many reasons. According to skiing instructor Mathieu Desbiens from Montreal, Canada, the powdery snow here makes it ideal for skiing. It’s also great for other winter sports, including snowboarding and snow trekking, and offers great views. The vast expanse of mountain terrain outside my room window is one of the most stunning I have ever seen.

The snow-covered acicular trees, pines and poplars with their sparse foliage bring to life the pages in Snow Country, written by Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata.

During the winter season that begins in the first week of December, Club Med Sahoro has 25 slopes of snow (420-1,030 metres) for both new and experienced skiers, who are taken up the slopes via cable chairs.

You can actually ski in and out of the resort without having to spend time travelling to ski slopes and paying entrance fees. Ski lessons are conducted right outside the resort in full view of the main restaurant. Those tired of skiing can take a dip in the heated swimming pool.

During the summer months from June to September, Club Med Sahoro’s cool climate of 15º-20º Centigrade, attracts Japanese clients seeking to escape the sweltering heat of overcrowded Japanese cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama where temperatures can soar up to 40º Centigrade.

For more details, go to www.clubmed.com.my
Share

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Haiku sunset bliss and others

sepia
if you were
just there

moon
a different face for
a different occasion

Sunset bliss
feeble my mind
trails the leaves

sunset bliss
feeble my mind
trails the flowers

nightfall
all their nerves up
for actions

Sunset bliss
feeble my mind
trails the breeze

Grandma Funeral Haiku

grandma's funeral
the only time i saw lipstick used
on her

Visit Malaysia Year Poem - The Women of Sibu

I love this little town
where mothers love
their children like a
divine gift from the heavens
a sparkling jewel they cannot part
a part of themselves
two lovers no one could
tear apart without causing
the live-till-you-die pain

have you ever seen
a 60s something woman
who had died for hours but
still lied there with a body stiffened
with the propensity to love and to give
the most tender care to a child?
a gesture she had carried all
through her life. from her son to
daughter, grand daughter and
great grand daughter that even death
could not take away

that stamp of care that everybody longs for
that reassuraing touch that warms us
up to ourselves,
the tender touch of unconditional love that
helps us sleep better

death freezes a love
without taking away
the signature of its capacity
to warm up the hearts of children
that woman lying there wordless
and soon a feast for worms

i love this little town
where mothers love their children
till they are up to a ripe old age
as if they are still their new gifts
from the heavens, fresh out of
the first born maternity room