Doctor's Day/Birthday Of Vincent Van Gogh/Ram Navami (India)
2004-03-30 @ 11:42 p.m.

I didn't make it past the interview, which was somewhat of a relief actually. I completely agree with Aparna's viewpoint on the whole council thing! Good luck to those who're going to be campaigning! I decided to change my thematic approach at the eleventh hour, and relaxed my criteria for including a poem at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute, only to have Rachel inform me that our deadline for CAP application portfolios is now Thursday! That's one whole damn day to think, because I seem to have found some inspiration lately, and it seems to be producing poetry that appeals to at least some people. Oh, a brief aside here - I sat on the LRT for the first time today! I was going to a meeting for Student Venture's publication committee at King Albert Park MacDonald's. I took 970, dozed off, and didn't realise that I should have got off. So I ended up at the Bukit Panjang LRT. Took it to Choa Chu Kang, then took 67 to King Albert Park. Stayed quite late, but it was a good meeting. The HCJC guy looked damn familiar, even though he doesn't know me. I think he's from CAP or something. Anyway, basically all of us CWC members have extensions on submissions for CAP application and Lee Tzu Pheng Poetry Award. Too bad about Artist's Jam though, it's still due on Thursday during the meeting. Guess I'll have to finish up A Darker Chaos. Think I've lost the mood for that one though...

Why must a poem have a purpose for its existence? Poems are inherent contradictions, for they attempt to capture in words the elusive things in life, those things that can't quite be described. Incidentally, may I point out that the Final Fantasy series is/was a highly popular one. I think that when you write about a subject you feel passionately about, it tints your perception of your writing too much. You get caught up with the subject, and you lose some awareness of the words themselves. What happened to savouring language for its own sake? Isn't clever wordplay worth more than the thoughts it can express? The words will last forever, the ideas behind them might die with the man who wrote them. That is why I don't write with a purpose, it's a kill-joy. By the way Daniel, did you realise that it isn't that unusual to come up with the title before the poem? Think about it. If you can immediately sum up the essence of the poem with a title, shouldn't that create a more focused piece of writing? It's not quite beginning with the end in mind, but you get my drift hopefully. I've written something new. First time I ever mentioned God in a poem. Have fun picking this to pieces. If you really want to know what it's saying, ask me. Don't be too disappointed though...