Orchid Weather
I loved that jungle, the one behind the house:
it bore the wild Malayan Emergency
leaf-knitting colonies of chilli-red ants
and scowling ahmas
dicing pork
to a very fine and furious mince
enfolded in dumplings
purple chicken’s entrails
sweating in pots of broth.
Fortunes told, widows in black,
clairvoyants in a house of exorcism –
more incense in the shrine, fresher
pyramids of tangerines.
Burst fireworks confettied the air.
Young fauna, my brother and I
dried off in Royal Selangor
Golf Club towels in a house that
reeked of quinine, limes and gin,
almost mixed them myself
for darling spinsters
who never scolded,
with butterfly collections
and how-to-paint books.
We became their undeparted sons
two cheeky gnomes
under cushions
in their too cold conditioned
highland mansions.
Inquisitive and flirtatious
with the servant classes
we prospered in the orchid weather
over-nurtured and beautiful.
Chauffeur, silent behind the wheel
Koran on the radio;
and “our gardener”, the greatest
in the business, hands stained with the soil
of an intense wormy blackness
calloused and hot to the touch. Recipient
of our old London blankets, for the family
we never saw.
We mimicked the ahmas
their singsong speech
angry waving of meat cleavers.
We were Master’s sons risking sour medicine
to take new territory: alcoves and playgrounds
of camphor and silk, black lacquer
tiffins of pickled cabbage rice
and almost typically
fell in love with the ahma’s daughter
in a galvanised tub,
scrubbed with Camay
her ribbons hung to dry on a bamboo stick
for whipping bad boys and dogs.
In games of war and riding the dragon
tadpole hunting and killing the tiger in the tiger’s lair
we fell from air to earth, warriors in a two child Opera
where every wound was fatal.
We glazed each other’s knees
with Tiger Balm, Gold Cup Brand
and sucked and chewed on salted plum.
We learned another way of saying
no, yes, and how delicious
and yes the lights stayed on
when the rain belted down
all night folding paper
into cranes, the tamed menagerie
bending their wings back
no pain.
poem by Adam Aitken
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Related quotes
Tiger
Tiger with coat of dissimilar stripes,
When he’s angry, tiger swipes,
Tiger cautious, guarding his lair,
Danger lurking, tiger aware.
Tiger hungry so he hunts,
Facing quarry, tiger confronts.
Tiger waiting, being sly,
Undercover, no tiger espy.
Tiger detects, now he purrs,
Hunger pangs, tiger stirs.
Tiger quick, must now surprise,
Here we have one tiger, wise.
Tiger from his throat he roars,
Stretching out those tiger claws.
Tiger moving, stealthy pelt,
Expiration, by tiger dealt.
Tiger now with belly filled,
Anger passed, one tiger stilled.
Tiger sleeping, with the Pride,
Craving gone, tiger satisfied.
Tiger such a majestic sight,
Near extinction, tiger fight.
Tiger beautiful and fine,
You’re such a leonine feline.
Tiger we must have respect, ,
For your great tiger intellect.
poem by Ernestine Northover
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IT's THE GOLF BALL OR ME
TIGER TIGER IN THE WOODS
Hit the ball as U should
Ere the Golf Stick skidded
And U in the Woods ended
Tiger Tiger your fame spread far and wide
Many a wallop in joy you with your family cried
Alas your 'misses' your family dread
And many a tear dropp you dead
Tiger Tiger in the Woods the time has come
When Your Wife has given you ultimatum
It's either me or GOLF you choose
And mend your ways or both your loose
'On my terms' if U want the kids and me
Coz I love you so much honey
I am not to touch the GOLF BALL
NOT for LOVE or for MONEY....
TIGER TIGER IN THE WOODS.
poem by Intensive KS1
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Tiger, Tiger
Tiger one to tiger two
Tiger one says I love you
Tiger two does not reply
So tiger one, he starts to cry
Tiger two says why you cry?
Tiger one says 'you did not reply'
Tiger two says I need not to
Tiger one says why?
Tiger two says i love you
Tiger one says i love you too
Tiger one says why oh why?
Why didnt you reply?
Tiger two says I love you
I don't have to say it
You know its true
Now you know the reason why
Tiger two did not reply
Tiger one realises why
Tiger two did not reply
So tiger one he starts to smile
And says tiger two is very fine
For tiger two is my dearest babe
Whome I think of everyday
And tiger two I cannot wait
To see your pretty face again
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
What a dragon is Tibet?
Spirituality raises its trees
from the soil fertile.
Its culture emits breezes
from the north and the south
Then the tiger came
and hunted the dragon.
The tiger who had been
cut into pieces by hunters earlier.
The tiger came.
The tiger bit the tree
that connected heaven and earth.
The tree shakes.
The tree falls into the water
Splash!
The chlidren of gods missed
their school on earth.
The chlidren of earth missed
their school in heaven.
They cried.
The peaceful dragon is angry
It would take a form one day
which would make the tiger
tremble with fear.
The Chinese tiger will tremble with fear.
poem by Denvor fernandez
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A Tiger
Life as a tiger would be prowling around
Hunting swiftly without making a sound
Black and orange stripes falls across his skin
Little do you know about the roar it has within
The tiger quickly moves upon to his feet
Searching the jungle looking for something to eat
The lion might be king of the jungle
But the tiger kills and they still stay humble
The rare colours of orange and the black
If He sees pray he’s sure to attach
There eyes in night time can see twenty twenty
Black is the colour of death and it has killed plenty
People see tigers as quite violent creatures
But if you dig deep inside you’ll find some peaceful features’
The tiger tooth is white and pointed all around
The lion is called the king but the tiger should be crowned
So when you see a tiger
And you don’t feel very prepared
Just have a read of this poem
Then you wont feel that more scared
By Chizom Okpara and my freind Sami Amusan
poem by Chizom Okpara
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Blood Brothers
The tiger
(it was my tiger)
sat beside me
on the bus
& despite the quque
we had got on first.
We had gone
ice skating
& the tiger proved to be
quite adept.
I...I...fell on my bum
to be laughed at by some
he growled and they
shut de ****up!
We went and saw
the latest Pedro Almodóvar
and the tiger
laughed & wept
we sat through it
...twice.
The tiger thought
Penelope Cruz was nice.
I liked my popcorn sweet...
...the liked his salty.
Later we chatted
between urinals
as the tiger
went & went.
I washed my hands...he washed his paws.
The tiger
using the hairdryer
like Madonna
in DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN.
He said he fancied
'A little Japanese! '
'Me too! ' I agreed.
He went home
on the next night bus
from Tottenham Court Road.
It was only then
I wondered
if all adults
had such
imaginary friends.
poem by Dónall Dempsey
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The Royal tiger of India
Stressful chattering of birds,
monkeys jumping from one branch to another.,
fluttering wings of birds,
running around of animals,
a sudden unrest in the jungle,
the news spread like forest fire,
there comes the majestic
yellow and black striped beast,
walked slowly on the dried leaves,
the best catwalk if one could luckily see,
the bold and the beautiful,
its the tiger on the scene,
the Royal tiger of India indeed,
unruffeld by noise around.,
unquestionable the king of jungle,
the wildest cat on earth,
unsocial solitary beast,
make every soul to fear for life,
be it a bird, animal, man or a beast.
poem by renu Vig sharma sharma
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Jim Corbett
Jim Corbett great stories of maneaters told
For some tigers become maneaters when they grow old
For a frail or injured tiger a Human Being is easier prey
But for killing a Human a tiger with his or her life has to pay.
To a tiger a Human Being is something it can eat
As a tiger is a meat eater so it needs meat
A Human Being or a buffalo to him the same
It kills because it has to without remorse or shame.
Jim Corbett who killed many a maneater has a park in India named in his name
And his stories of hunting maneaters they brought him great fame
But tigers only kill because they have a need to
And the tiger to it's nature is only being true.
Jim Corbett wrote of man eating tigers and of how he tracked them down
And his stories have earned him a place in renown
But for the most part a tiger has to be either very old or ill
Before a Human Being it will bother to kill.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Taming The Tiger
I stepped outside to breathe the air
And stare up at the stars
Big dipper hanging there
Over the rented car
Over the rented car
Im a runaway from the record biz
From the hoods in the hood and the whiny white kids
Boring!
The old man is snoring
And Im taming the tiger
(you cant tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Sophia says its hard to catch
And harder still to ride
The time to watch the beast the best
Is when its purring at your side
Purring at your side
Accolades and honors
One false move and youre a goner
Boring!
The old man is snoring
And Im taming the tiger
(you cant tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forest of the night
The moon shed light
On my hopeless plight
As the radio blared so bland
Every disc, a poker chip
Every song just a one night stand
Formula music, girly guile
Genuine junkfood for juveniles
Up and down the dial
Mercenary style
I watched the stars chuck down their spears
And a plane went blinking by
And I thought of anna
Wild and dear
Like fireworks in the sky
Fireworks in the sky
Im so sick of this game
Its hip, its hot
Lifes too short, the whole things gotten
Boring!
The old man is snoring
And Im taming the tiger
(you cant tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(boring!)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(you cant tame the tiger)
Oh, be nice, kitty kitty
(boring!)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(boring, boring!)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(fight to the light, fight to the light)
In the forest of the night
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Dragon and the Tiger
Elusive and spiritual
the Dragon's dance a ritual
Strong and firm
the Tiger waits his turn
Both are majestic
in precence and style
One breath's fire
the other's wild
The Tiger leaps
while the Dragon sways
The Tiger claws
while the Dragon slays
But when fighting together
their energy flows
The colors, the magic
like a rainbow, they glow.
(Charlie Vergara/06.27.2009/1764)
poem by White Tiger
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Ride The Tiger
I want to ride the tiger
I want to ride the tiger
It will be black and white in the dead of night
Eyes flashing in the clear moonlight
I want to ride the tiger.
Its like a tear in the hands of a western man
Tell you about salt, carbon and water
But a tear to a chinese man
Hell tell you about sadness and sorrow or the love of a man and
A woman.
I want to ride the tiger
I want to sail through the risin sun for you and you
We got something to learn from the other side
Something to give, we got nothing to hide
I want to ride the tiger.
Black wants out of the streets
Yellow wants the country
Red wants the country back
And white wants out of this world
Sing - sing to the sky
I want to ride the tiger
I want to ride the tiger.
Look to the summer of seventy-five
All the world is gonna come alive
Do you want to ride the tiger?
Its like a tear in the hands of a western man
Tell you about salt, carbon and water
But a tear to an oriental man
Hell tell you about sadness and sorrow or the love of a man and
A woman.
song performed by by Jefferson Starship
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tiger
The city is a jungle, you better take care
Never walk alone after midnight
If you dont believe it you better beware
Of me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a nightmare, a horrible dream
Some of us will dream it forever
Look around the corner and try not to scream
Its me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a prison, you never escape
Youre forever trapped in the alleys
Look into the shadows and youll see the shape
Of me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
And if I meet you, what if I eat you, I am the tiger
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
Tiger, tiger, tiger!
song performed by by ABBA
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tiger Man
(words & music by lewis - burns)
I am the king of the jungle
They call me the tiger man
I am the king of the jungle
They call me tiger man
If you cross my path
You take your own life in your hands
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
My black cat comes a runnin
And the hound dogs get way back
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
My black cat comes a runnin
And the hound dogs get way back
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
Yeah, I get up on a mountain
And I call my black cat back
My black cat comes a runnin
And the hound dogs get way back
song performed by by Elvis Presley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Twarted Tiger.
Tiger hunting in dark of night,
Keenful eyes keeping it's prey in sight,
hidden in the long grass, crouching low,
waiting to deliver it's fatal blow.
Moon watches tiger with a glint in his eye,
illuminates crouched tiger to all prey nearby,
tiger growles at the moon as he shakes his furry head,
and on an empty stomach takes himself off to bed.
tuesday 1st november,2005.
Save The Tiger
As a child when I went to the circus,
Though I loved the clowns and the acrobats,
I hated when the ringmaster made the animals act
And do unnatural things,
To tickle human beings.
As the tiger came out of the cage,
You could see he was in rage.
On a visit to the zoo,
Seeing the tiger roam,
I often wondered,
How does it feel
To be uprooted from your natural habitat.
The frustration was writ large on the face of the royal cat.
On growing up, and on a visit to
A family friend’s farm house,
I used to squirm to see walls decorated with tiger skins
And the conversation full of anecdotes of the kill.
I often wonder
Is that why it’s becoming extinct.
We really had no right to kill
For pleasure or greed,
Every creature has a place in the scheme of things
It’s sad today the tiger tops the list of endangered species.
I still remember the poem by Blake,
Which I read in the seventh grade.
The day is not far when those famous stripes
Will just adorn the rags of designer lines.
poem by Mamta Agarwal
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Tiger Eye
Tiger Eye Tiger Eye
Tiger Eye is here to spy
Oh Tiger Eye who's here to spy
My darling Tiger Eye I look in your eyes
Oh Tiger Eye you are like magic
Yes dear Tiger Eye
I believe when I look in your eyes
You give me hope
You give me strength
Oh dear Tiger Eye
Tiger Eye Tiger Eye
Tiger Eye is here to spy
Oh Tiger Eye who's here to spy
My darling Tiger Eye I look in your eyes
Oh Tiger Eye you have a spell
Yes dear Tiger Eye
A spell you cast when I look in your eyes
You give me hope
You give me strength
Oh dear Tiger Eye
poem by Camilla Fodgaard
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Tiger By The Tail
What a shock it was so surprising
You looked so small and frail
I didnt know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
People said that you must be joking
You let emotions run away with you
I realized a little too late
I bit off more than I could chew
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
Sometimes you grip it right
And sometimes you fail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
At times life can be so enlightening
But it can turn on you
Lately it gets so complicated i
I dont know what the tiger will do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
Sometimes you grip it right
And sometimes you fail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
Sometimes you grip it right
And sometimes you fail
I grabbed the tiger by the tail
song performed by by Rick Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The words of a child
When we were small
my younger brother and I
had to stay with the Von Hörsten’s
during the day,
when my mother went to work
and we had to play outside
and was threatened
that we would get dresses
when we wanted
to come into the house,
but this staying
ended dramatically
in my sixth year.
One night my mother wanted to know
how it is going
with out daily visitation,
whereupon I told her
that every thing was well
and my brother said
that I eat my food very slowly.
I told her
that I do not like cabbage
and that we have to eat everything
or get a hiding
if something is left
on our plates.
My mother said that vegetables
are good and necessary to eat
and I accepted it like that,
but it wasn’t the end
of the story.
As a innocent child
my brother told this incident
to one of the Von Hörsten boys
who told it to his dad.
I played in the hillock above their house
when all of the Von Hörsten boys suddenly
came running out of the farmhouse
and went in all directions
calling for me,
but I could immediately see
that there was big trouble
from the way
that they were shouting and searching.
So I stayed were I was
and wondered about what was going on
and what terrible thing
I had done unknowing?
The much older and bigger boys
sneaked up that hill
and jumped on me
from behind
and grabbed me
and I was carried
right up to their dad.
Uncle Hendrik was a man
that didn’t take nonsense
from anyone
and wanted to know from me,
why I did not want to eat
his wife’s food
and why I am saying
that her food tastes awful?
So I said that it isn’t true
and he shouted
that I must stop lying
and jagged me closer
on my neck
with the hook of his walking stick
and hit me with it.
Stuttering I couldn’t get words
to explain
the circumstances
and then he shouted
talk man talk
and stop thinking
what to lie about
while he was still hitting me.
So I said
that I didn’t like cabbage
and got another hiding
and was said to be silent
or to talk the truth.
So I said that God is my witness
and that a day would come
that his words would also dry up
and be totally in confusion.
Like a dog I was chased away
with a footsack shouted at me
and fled away from
his walking stick
to our house.
The Von Hörsten’s called my mother
and told her about every thing
and she knew
from where my trouble came
and for a whole month
my brother had to eat cabbage,
because he talked
out of the house
and never again
we stayed over with the Von Hörsten’s.
l’Envoi
Many years later
when I was at University
I saw uncle Hendrik Von Hörsten
on the campus
and we greeted each other
and spoke normally
about the things happening in the country
and about our families,
but when he walked away
other students spoke to him
and the once known writer
spoke back in jabbering language
as if he didn’t know
what to say
and was totally confused.
It was said
that he had Alzheimer’s,
but until today I wonder
about the power
coming from
the words of a child.
[Reference: The word uncle used here out of respect and local custom and not to point out family relationship.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Eye of the Tiger
Tiger, Tiger burning bright
hunts his prey by neon light
Real or bleached, you know the kind
big up front with a sweet behind..
Tiger, tiger, none too bright
Left his cell phone in plain sight
When Elin saw his contact list
She grabbed his driver in her fist.
Four hundred yards straight off the tee
Tiger drives that easily
But when his little wife went clubbing
His face and lawn both took a drubbing
Tiger Tiger burning bright
Doesn’t like the bright spotlight
Yet on his off days he’d resort
To pros who play a different sport
Tiger Tiger made a tape
of Tiger 'eagaling' his date
It came into the hands of 'Vivid'
If they release it he'll be Livid
Tiger, tiger lost Gillette
And Gatorade sent their regrets
Now he’s hawking Trojan’s Wares
and lady Clairol for Blonde hair.
poem by John F. McCullagh
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My Father Is a Great Hunter
In those days they say
Animals live in the bush
I wish my father can travel go West
To see cat and dog
Antelope and elephant
Tiger and lion
Living in man’s house.
They call them pets
But I don’t understand
While in my continent
Mouse hunts for food
Cat hunts for mouse
Dog hunts for cat
Tiger hunts for dog
And my father hunts for tiger and lion.
My father is a great hunter
Our carpet is zebra crossing
Our bed is tiger coat
Our cloth is lion braveness
The walls of my house
Is made with the beauties of boas
And I am proud to be a hunter’s heir.
poem by Abiodun Adekoya
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