War Poetry Writing Competition

Upper Secondary

Amongst the midst of crimson skies
I saw a boy who never cries
He looks at me with bulging eyes
Yet all I saw was nothing right
The war had blasted his only home away
Together with his parents to heaven’s way
His family was gone, due to extreme blows
And in his life, the sun no longer glows
Amongst the midst of crimson skies
I saw a boy who never cries
He looks at me with bloody eyes
Yet all I saw was nothing right
The war made him lose his only light
He limped his way towards me
He cried out loud for justice and peace
Yet no one was there to hear him cry
There were a thousand words left unsaid
A thousand tales left untold
His blood floods the city, together with endless souls

First Prize
Lim Zhaojie (4I)

The cold wind blew
Ashes flew
The stench of death is in the air
Cries and screams sound everywhere
Then a silence triumphs all sounds
As bullets fire all around
Darkness pushes light away
Inviting an eclipse on its way
Revenge is bitter and never sweet
Life will always have its weeds
Why be stubborn in extermination
At the expense of world destruction?
Halt with the war drums,
Weapons and arms
Stop killing
And save the living
Don't you know, my hateful friend
That catastrophe will be the end

Second Prize
Pek Si Yin(4E)




Shots were filled, people lay dead
All I saw was a sea of red
They killed his family, they destroyed his home,
The poor child is left alone
Why can’t we have some peace?
Where every one can live with ease?
Why can’t we live happily?
And sing together, merrily?
So you win, as you’ve burnt down the houses
As you’ve said, those that oppose you are all dead
This is all you’ve achieved after all these hours
If these hours were used to help instead, it would be really great.
Why fight among ourselves, we will achieve nothing
Now as you look back, its such a foolish thing
So let us live happily
Where we can sing and dance merrily.

Third Prize
Ho Yong Cheng (4I)



Lower Seocndary

The Day War Started

It started out as a peaceful day
When everything seemed very fine
Until soldiers started making their way
And planes and tanks made their line.

The soldiers started to open fire
The tanks and planes all went Boom!
There was no time for being a tire
As everyone started to face their doom!

Until the reinforcement came in
Everything seemed to be too late
But they managed to push them in
The soldiers were then condemned to their fate.

The enemies had their rampage ended
But they had only just started.
Until many years later they restarted
Will everything be the same as before?

First Prize
Gary Tang of 2I















War and its Great Massacre

I looked across the open plains
and I saw something looking back at me
All across the field, the dead rain
On the ground around me, dying, there lay three

One whispered to me
he knew he woundn't see the sun the next morn
He was bleeding somewhere I couldn't see
I started to cry, for he couldn't make it through dawn

As night fell on the field, the second turned to see
My dark silhouette in the dark
I was leaning against a tree
and he said "I would've fancied a last walk through a park."

As the first light of dawn came to view
I looked across the field at the aftermath of the great massacre.
The third was dead by the time I looked
Overwhelmed by grief, I took a last look at the sky
and a gunshot rang out as I shot myself
The war has devasted me, what was worth living for without my friends?

Second Prize
Audrey Yong 2E




War
Blood on the floor here
Blood on the floor there
Blood is found everywhere
Red things are what they see,
but they share sorrows with you and me

Be it now, be it later,
Be it long, be it short.
People being killed all day long
They braved their souls for the future
The fate of hope lies in their hands

Bullets being shot all day long
Guns being fired non-stop
Rifles of all sizes
Bullets of all shapes
All being aim at one spot

Big, black raindrops from the sky
Kill all people that fall below it
Sound of raindrops spluttering down
what's next is a show of red
The smell of rotten bodies fill the air
Jet planes flying through the air

Ships and crusiers dock the harbours
Jet planes flying all around
Army tanks can see through the streets
Weapons and gunpowder can be found everywhere

People on the streets fear their lives
People at home fear thier lives
People fighting fear all their lives
They share their sorrows with you and me
All thanks to the selfishness

People fight for no reason
Serve their countries to the needs
People fighting here and there
Why risk your life with something not meaningful?

You lose your life
He lose his life
why waste your life, youth and pride
This can ne prevented
But only at one's will.

Thrid Prize
Lee Yik Loong 2I

CNY@Mayflower

The Mother Tongue Department organised a series of exciting yet meaningful activities to celebrate Chinese New Year on the 6th February. Students of all races enjoyed themselves as they take part actively in the activities that had been organised for them.

A classroom decoration competition wand a hamper making competition were organised. Students were given the opportunity to showcase their creative talent by using recycled materials to decorate the class


The teachers also provided a helping hand with the hamper wrapping competition



Wow all that hampers. Great job.

Mrs Lim, our Principal, was presented with a good luck school by the dancing lion

Senior citizens from the Asian Women's Welfare Association (AWWA) home at Block 123, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 were invited to join in the celebration

After the celebration, the senior citizen where presented with the hampers to bring back.

TEN YEARS THAT SHAPED A NATION

Total Defence Week: Travelling Exhibition




10 men. 10 years. They represent a crucial period where critical decisions and actions were made that helped shape the destiny of Singapore to this day.







This travelling exhibition records the many poignant stories on the contributions by the First Cabinet and Singapore's first decade of nation building. It is now being held in the School Library from 4th February to 18th February.




The exhibition include themes covering foreign relations and defence, economic development, public health and social harmony all topics relevant to social studies.


Box stories such as on Constitution of Singapore, State Symbols, Water Supply, Family Planning Policy and Proclamation of Singapore provide additional information for our students.



This exhibition hope to inspire our students to better appreciate the formation of Singapore as a country.

• If you wish to obtain more information on the following topics please go to this website -- http://www.nhb.gov.sg/NAS/1stcab/highlights1.htm

POLITICAL MILESTONES LEADING TO THE BIRTH OF THE REPUBLIC

MAKING FRIENDS AND DEFENDING OR SOVEREIGNTY

THE STORY OF AN ECONOMIC MIRACLE

CARING FOR THE NATION

LIVING TOGETHER IN HARMONY

Here are some interesting picture taken from the exhibition. We hope that this will inspire you to see the exhibition yourself. Can you answer the following questions?

The people here were taking part in a "lucky draw." What do you think is the grand prize?

a. A round the world trip sponsored by SIA.

b. A brand new flat built by the HDB.

c. A year supply of Coca Coke courtesy of F&N

What do you think the people were doing here?

a. Waiting for the "A Go Go " concert that the government organised before the Swing Singapore era.

b. Waiting for the arrival of Jacky Chen

c. Waiting for the balloting of flats to start.

Did you know?

Flats in the 1960s and 70s were allocated through a ballot system. Lots were drawn simultaneously from two boxes, one containing the house numbers and the other the applicants’ registration numbers. The results were then announced and written on chalkboards. The relocation of families from squatters and slums to public housing flats brought different races together as neighbours in the same housing estate

Two new ministries, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) led by Mr S Rajaratnam and the Ministry of the Interior and Defence (MID) led by Dr Goh Keng Swee, were established quickly after Singapore Independence to lay the essential foundations of diplomacy and defence



The slogan "Two is enough" refers to:

a. the number of dogs each family can have

b. the number of dolls that each child can bring to school

c. the number of children that each family should have

















What do you think Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew was doing in this picture?

Find out the answer at the exhibition now being held in the school library.

POETRY WRITING COMPETITION

TOTAL DEFENCE WEEK :11th-15th Feb 08

Several activities have been planned for Total Defence Week 2008. The first is the Poetry Writing Competition.

POETRY WRITING COMPETITION

Objectives :

1. Encourage students to do research on war.

2.Encourages students to use their senses and develop a fresh approach to writing, with an emphasis on imagination and attention to detail.

•Minimum length of poem: 4-5 stanzas
•Each stanza should contain 4 to 5 lines
•Preferably every alternate line should rhyme
•Message: war, death at war, causes and consequences of war, the negative side of war
•Emotions: your feelings about war and its aftermath
•Deadline for submission: 04th Feb 08
•Teachers to submit to: Mdm Santhi, Mrs Francis Ess, Mrs Nathan, Mrs David.

Here are a war poem for you to read.

I cannot quite remember…There were five
Dropped dead beside me in the trench…and three
Whispered their last messages to me…
Back from the trenches, more dead than alive.
Stone-deaf and dazed, and with a broken knee,
He hobbled slowly,muttering vacantly:

I cannot quite remember…There were five
Dropped dead beside me in the trench…and three
Whispered their dying messages to me…
Their friends and waiting, wondering how they thrive
Wading a word in silence patiently…
But what they said, or who their friends may be …

I cannot quite remember…there were five
Dropped dead beside me in the trench-and three
Whispered their dying messages to me…”

The mother tongue department organised a tour to Taiwan together with Zaobao.

Students were given the opportunity to learnn about the culture of Taiwan.

The students also visited 921 Earthquake Museum — a tribute to the invincible human spirit.

This unique museum is built within the ruins of Guangfu﹝光復﹞ Junior High School in the Wufong﹝霧峰﹞ Township of Taichung﹝台中﹞.

The school’s demolished buildings not only help visitors observe and contemplate the power of an earthquake, but the broken parts of the building have also been skillfully used as effective teaching aids

The students were also provided with an opportunity to try their hand at growing rice.

Later, the students learnt how to make a bamboo pipe.

Cleann and Green Singapore 2007

The YEGs were invited to take part in the Clean ad Green Singapore at Bishan Park.

Kenneth was given an opportunity to discuess green issue with the Prime Minister.

Our YEGs were helping NEA with conducting a survey.

Our Prime Minister were given an opportunity to undertand how to use natural organic herbs like pandan and lemon grass as insect repellent.

Celebrate Singapore: City of Possibilities

National Day Parade 2007@ Marina Bay 2007-Celebrate Singapore: City of Possibilities



This year's National Day Parade (NDP) will be held at a new venue - the floating platform at Marina Bay, which is possibly the world's largest floating performance stage

The theme for this year’s NDP is Celebrate Singapore: City of Possibilities. This theme reflects optimism and pride as Singaporeans from all walks of life come together to celebrate our nation’s 42nd Birthday.

Singapore is today a city of possibilities because Singaporeans are hardworking, innovative and enterprising in creating and seizing opportunities.


Mayflower Secondary School has been selected to present an item for NDP 2007 entitled Eagle's Will. Secondary 1,2 and 3 students will be involved in this event.

Here is a short photo journey of this event.

Rehersal began early in March.