A keresés eredménye

The Night Before the History Exam

If Qin Shihuang burned all the books
I wouldn't have to read until half past three
If the Duke of Zhou is really busy ruling the world
Why does he have to keep hastening me to sleep?
 
If Qu Yuan did not drown himself in the Miluo River
What would Old Wang, the rice dumpling seller, do for a living?
If the Hegemon-King of Western Chu did not go to the Wu River that year
Liu Bang of the next class would not be this arrogant
 
If Xi Shi did not wash silk, if [Wang] Zhaojun did not make peace
How would modern classic beauties plan their lives?
If Liu Bei could not cry for Zhuge Liang
Will this lead to a script shortage?
 
I've only watched Xue Dingshan, but An Lushan would be tested
I only know that Fung Bo Bo has played Yang Yuhuan before
If not for the Twelfth Golden Edict, Yue Fei would have been transferred back
But will I still taste the fragrance of dough sticks today?
 
Of course I know about Zhu Yuanzhang as I have eaten mooncakes
And know about Zheng He's voyages as I have eaten durians
I've heard of the Eastern and Western Depots through King Hu's movie
And known about Yuan Chonghuan through Jin Yong's novel
 
I sigh that Lin Zexu couldn't finish burning opium
And that Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxer Rebellion
Consort Zhen should not marry that Guangxu Emperor
Few thousand years later and there came a Sun Yat-sen
 
The Great Wall is long, but not as long as history
The exam questions are more windy than the Silk Road
[The situation when] the Five Barbarians disrupted China was messy, but my brain is messier
My mood is more confused than the Eight-Nation Alliance
 
How many years of change has made us already very accustomed to this?
How many revolutions are always endless?
Thank goodness that today's history teachers can't finish talking
Can't imagine what the next generation's history exam would be like
 

The Sparrow with a Bamboo Twig

We live here in Singapore
My father used to live along Hoi Shan Street1
In 1941 a Japanese bomber flew by here
And a bomb was dropped on this street
 
We live here in Singapore
My mom gave birth to me at Tekka
There were many unlicensed taxis back then
And she still rode her bike to work
 
We live here in Singapore
My childhood was spent at Queenstown
And behind the tiny HDB apartment block
There’s a little forest
Where I used to play with my childhood friends
 
We live here in Singapore
And my primary school used to be at Middle Road
When I didn’t study hard enough,
I would run to the temple at Waterloo street2
And pray at the Buddha’s feet
 
We live here in Singapore
And we used to have nothing
Though we are much better off now
But we treasure all that we have today
 
We live here in Singapore
And my cousin is returning from San Francisco
Like a little sparrow carrying a twig
Always returning to where home is
 
Little sparrow carrying a twig
Looking at the pretty lady at the head of the street
Pretty lady has a beautiful knot in her hair
And it is lined with flowers on both sides
 

• 1. Upper Cross Street
• 2. Referring to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

Friendship Forever

When in our youth, we had our aspirations.
Once you divulge your aspiration to me unknowingly
So on your birthday,
I presented you a little harmonica
And how can I not forget that smile on your face?
 
As the streams of friendship tickles over time
It flows into the our hearts continuously
As I cheered for you at the stadium
When you fell I carried you on my back
As we watch the stars
And thought of our future in life
As the night breezes heard our countless aspiration
 
When in our youth, we had our worries
Only you could understand my joys and my sadness
Whenever I am feeling disappointed
You would play that tune on that harmonica
That echoes through time, reliving my sadness
 
As time tickles slowly like tiny streams,
We reach the time to part our ways
I patted your shoulder
saying “Friend, lets not be sad”
For the rainbow will continue to be there
And we have our directions in life
No matter success or failure, lets not forget our time together
 
After many years, we met once again
We all had that same smile of weariness
So let me ask you my friend
When will you play that tune once again
Will it sound the same as the past? Will it sound the same as the past?
 
There are thousands of up and down in life
Only the best confidantes meet forever
For their friendship is forever, like water flowing from its source
When we were young.