what can I not tell you
when only you know
what lies ahead of us
are sparkles gleaming in our eyes
.
what can I not tell you
when only you can feel
those wonders are not lies
and little taints fade as we brazen
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what can I not tell you
when only you can hear
the truth behind all the lies
and joy mars worries as we calm..
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we gather our thoughts
on the warmth of our bed
knowing that our future
floats in comfort
with our dreams..
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(1st Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong beh ki chiak
Knia lor beh khar khiak
Khar khiak beh ki cheng
Knia lor beh kar leng
Kar leng ko, Kar leng so,
Meh ni kow in tu tu hoe!
.
(1st Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells ‘apong’ (a local savory made with eggs and grated coconut)
Forgot to eat the apongs
Walk to buy wooden clogs
Forgot to wear the clogs
Walk to buy the mynahs
Relatives and in-laws of the mynahs
Just nice to get married by next year!
.
(2nd Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong bay boe liow
Apek khi puak kiow
Kiow su
Apek thow liak tu
Tu chow
Apek thow liak kow
Kow bui
Apek thow parng phui.
.
(2nd Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells apong
Apong not in demand
Old man went to gamble
No luck in gambling
Old man went to steal some pigs
Pigs ran off
Old man went to steal some dogs
Dogs bark
Old man steals a fart!
.
(3rd Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong boh laku
Apek chay bangku
Bangku lin loh hai
Apek chiak kow sai
.
(3rd Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells apong
Apong not in demand
Old man sits on a wooden stool
The stool fell into the sea
Old man eats dog stools!
.
(4th Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong lin loh hai
Apek chiak kow sai
.
(4th Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells apong
Apong rolled to the sea
Old man ended up eating the dog stools..
.
(5th Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong bey boh liow
Apek chiak ka liow
.
(5th Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells apong
Apongs not in demand
Old man ate it all by himself!
.
(6th Version in Hokkien)
Lala lila tampong
Apek bay apong
Apong boh laku
Apek chiak huan chu
.
(6th Version in English)
Lala lila fresh coconut
Old man sells apong
Apong not in demand
Old man eats sweet potatoes..
.
About this rhyme/ditty:~
Quite similar to ‘Chui Lo Chui Peng Peng’ but in reverse format, ‘Lala lila Tampong’ is a traditional Hokkien rhyme/ditty very often recited in street games. And there are many variations to it. The motive is to help eliminate players from a game. For example, if there are seven people vying to play in a game that needed only four players, the three would get a fair chance eliminating themselves. This is done by first gathering the seven children in a circle and by a clear show of the palm of our hand be it up or down, the first three persons out of the whole group who display a similar hand signal as opposed to the rest would be the ones eliminated. The show of palms happen at the end of every line in the stanza. Hence, in this case, the showing of hands can happen six times. If at the end of the whole recital no one gets eliminated, the whole cycle is again repeated..
The author/owner has compiled for record, a collection of early Hokkien sayings, proverbs, rhymes and ditties to capture the essence and spirit of his hoi polloi, a community originating from the southern province of Fujian, China where individuals climbed aboard bum boats, crossing the South China Sea to settle in faraway lands to escape the brewing civil unrest and a way out from hardship carrying along with them in their journey, nothing except their trademark ponytails and their beliefs, very much rooted in Confucianism. These ditties retell their story and their lifestyle way back then so that the younger generation can gain an insight and foothold to their origin..
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(Version in Hokkien)
Chui Lo Chui Peng Peng
Chooi Chooi Chiak Par Choe Lam Peng
Chui Lo Chui Chart Chart
Chooi Chooi Chiak Par Choe Lam Chart
.
(Version in English)
Chase on, chase the soldier
Whoever has eaten, will be the weak soldier
Chase on, chase the robber
Whoever has eaten becomes the weak robber!
.
About this rhyme/ditty:~
Chui Lo Chui Peng Peng is a traditional Hokkien rhyme/ditty recited in street games like “ar-chi-lo” (chasing) or “ba-ku-li” (marbles)! Very much like the tossing of the coin to determine which side shall start off with the game, this rhyme/ditty works in the same style but its usefulness became apparent when an unspecified number of individual players is involved in the game. As he recites each syllable, the player appointed by the group to recite the rhyme/ditty will point his finger concurrently to the next player gathered in front of him be it in clockwise or anticlockwise fashion and the person pointed at when the last syllable is recited would become the seeker. For example, in the game of hide and seek, the person pointed at shall be the seeker and the rest will all hide. Chui Lo Chui Peng Peng is directly translated as “Chase on, Chase the Soldier”.
The author/owner has compiled for record, a collection of early Hokkien sayings, proverbs, rhymes and ditties to capture the essence and spirit of his hoi polloi, a community originating from the southern province of Fujian, China where individuals climbed aboard bum boats, crossing the South China Sea to settle in faraway lands to escape the brewing civil unrest and a way out from hardship carrying along with them in their journey, nothing except their trademark ponytails and their beliefs, very much rooted in Confucianism. These ditties retell their story and their lifestyle way back then so that the younger generation can gain an insight and foothold to their origin..
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Thank you Promising Poets Cafe for this Award and for all the poets who voted for me, WOW!
this one is for all of you too! I am deeply humbled..
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