SPM LITERATURE - POEM

 THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH (by Jackie Kay)

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,

pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,

a kind, old smile round her eyes.

Her big hand holds mine,

white hand in black hand.

Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true  after all; that look.

My tall grandmother became small.

Her back round and hunched.

Her soup forgot to boil.

She went to the awful place grandmothers go.

Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,

the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

Stanza 1

Line	Meaning
1  My small grandmother is tall there,	The persona’s grandmother looks tall in the photograph.
2  straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt ,	She is standing with good posture, wearing an embroidered lace blouse.
3  pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,	She wears the blouse with a pleated skirt, non-heeled shoes and her hair in a bun.
4  a kind, old smile round her eyes.	She is smiling kindly.
5  Her big hand holds mine,	Her big hand is holding the persona’s hand.
6  white hand in black hand.	The contrast of their skin colours can clearly be seen in their linked hands.
7  Her sharp blue eyes look her death in the eye.	Her grandmother’s blue eyes suggests that her death is near.

Stanza 2

Line	Meaning
8  It was true after all; that look.	The persona’s reference of death came true.
9  My tall grandmother became small.	The grandmother became thinner and more fragile.
10  Her back round and hunched.	Her back became hunched.
11  Her soup forgot to boil.	She became forgetful.
12  She went to the awful place grandmothers go.	Soon, she passed away.
13  Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.	Upon her death, she went to a place that no one knows.

Stanza 3

Line	Meaning
14  But there she is still,	However, in the photograph, her grandmother will always be alive.
15  in the photo with me at three,	The persona was there years old in the photograph with her grandmother.
16  the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.	Her grandmother’s smile is still so alive and real.

Moral Value

1  We must treasure our loved ones when they are alive.

• We must spend as much time as we can with our loved ones while they are still living
• When they pass away, all that will be left are the memories, as is illustrated in the poem.

  2  It is difficult to lose a family member.

• It is always difficult to deal with the death of a loved one.
• The persona loses her grandmother when she was younger but she will always remember her.

3  We must never forget the importance of family relationship.

• We should not forget to love and care for our family, especially our grandparents who are the pillars of a family.
• When they are old and sick, we must continue to take care of them.

Summary of Stanza 1

The persona is looking at an old photograph of her grandmother and herself. She describes the photograph – her grandmother is standing tall and straight, dressed in a white embroidered lace blouse with a pleated skirt, and flat shoes. Her grey hair is pulled neatly into a bun. She is smiling kindly while holding the persona’s hand in hers, giving her the security and comfort. As the persona describes their linked hands – white hand in black hand – it is clear that they come from a mixed race family. The last line seems to suggest that the persona knows that her grandmother’s death will come soon.

Summary of Stanza 2

While the first describes the photograph, in the second stanza, the persona is remembering her grandmother later, when she is older and has become ill. The persona recalls how her grandmother soon grows thinner and more fragile. Her back is hunched and she becomes forgetful as is illustrated in the line, Her soup forgot to boil. Eventually, she passes away and upon her death, she goes to an unimaginable place.

Summary of Stanza 3

However, in the photograph, the persona’s grandmother will forever be alive. She is still there, holding the hand of her three-year-old granddaughter, with her smile looking so alive and real.

Themes

 1    The everlasting quality of a photograph                                                               

• A photograph immortalizes a person or a moment. What  is captured in a photograph will remain alive forever.
•  In the poem, the persona’s grandmother  has already  passed away. However, in the photograph, she will always be healthy and alive.
•  A photograph also allows us grandmother passes away to reflect on what happened  in the past and relive our memories.

 2    Death

• Death is a definite  outcome for all of us.
• In the poem, the persona recalls how her grandmother was once strong and healthy but soon grows older and  becomes ill.
• In the end, the grandmother passes away and the persona is only able to relive her memories with her grandmother through a photograph.

########################################################################

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns!' he said :

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred. 

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldier knew

Some one had blundered :

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die :

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volleyed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell,

Rode the six hundred.

Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Hi dear students who actually searched for this for their SPM answer. Well, to me, you have come to a simple blog with simple explanation that might bring to your simple sense in learning this poem. Actually, this poem is not that difficult to understand and as you can see, after you read the poem, you might come across a few things, which maybe a recall from what you have learned in your classes. Remember? During those early month of the years, before lemangs took over your body? Remember? haha...

Now, let me tell you a bit about the poet. Alfred Lord Tennyson was born on 6 August 1809 in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England. He was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland from 1850 till his death at the age of 83. In his poems, Tennyson used a wide range of subject matter, ranging from medieval legends to classical myths and from domestic situations to observations of nature, as source material for his poetry. His poem are noted for the richness of his imagery and descriptive writing. He also handled rhythm masterfully.

In 1855, Tennyson produced  one of his best-known poems "The Charge of the Light Brigade", a tribute to the heroic British cavalrymen involved in an ill-advised charge on 25 October 1854, during the Crimean War. Alfred, Lord Tennyson is acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in English literature. He died on 3rd October 1892 at Aldworth. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.

About the Poem

This poem is about the 600 British soldiers as mentioned in the poet's background. It also about the heroism and courage of a brigade. Well, many died in that battle which is called by Crimean War (1854-1856). The soldier belonged to a light brigade which means they were on horseback and armed only with sabres and baton (light arms). By some mistake by one *in the poem said so, and they were ordered into a valley which had heavily armed Russian enemy battalions on three sides - front, left and right. The Russians were fully armed and they were very powerful and they had powerful cannons. Now, when the light brigade charged into this "valley of death", they were massacred by the cannons fire.Yes, most of them died but they showed great heroism and patriotism in battle. On one side, well, we can see how heroism and patriotism took part in the way we think, but hey! the coin has two sides right? another side would be the challenging ideas of the concept of obedience, patriotism and nationalism. Don't you think so? 

Now, the themes for this poet are,

1. Heroism and courage

2. Patriotism

3. Duty

4. The tragedy of was

5. Leadership failure

Moral values:

1. Patriotism

2. Duty

3. Anti-war sentiment

The persona :

The poem is narrated by an omniscient (all-seeing) narrator who reports not only the action but the thoughts and spirit of the 600 men as a collective unit. There is also a reference that "someone has blundered".

Tone/Mood

Since the poem is about war so, it is clear that the tone and mood is quite intense and as the overall mood, it would be collective action, rather than individual impulse. The poem has the sound of military march and also the feeling of exhaustion, something like that. But to me, as long as you could imagine how war is about then, marks are waiting for you students! but make sure you relate your answer with the poem. Easy right?

As for the Language and Style, well, as you can see, there were Repetition. Why? As you all know, we repeat things because we want to make a bold statement by saying a few times. In this poem, the repetition (refrains) was used  to create hypnotic effect and the refrains give us the impression of an army marching forward. *I will explain more on Language and Style of this poem, once I read it VERY thoroughly, ok?

Point of view :

The poem is narrated by an omniscient (third person) narrator. 

Now, later, on maybe next two entries I will write on the Language and Style and also I will explain more on Themes and Moral Values of "The Charge of the Light Brigade". To me, this poem is very, very good. It was a very good poem indeed, but I could not run from thinking of if you know someone has blundered, why do you have to follow the instructions given? But it was not mine to ask why? hehe... *I used the same sentence structure as in the poem. You can detect that right? yesss... hehe...

#################################################################################

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU BY CHARLES CAUSLEY

The Poem

What has happened to Lulu, mother? 
What has happened to Lu? 
There's nothing in her bed but an old rag-doll 
And by its side a shoe. 

Why is her window wide, mother, 
The curtain flapping free, 
And only a circle on the dusty shelf 
Where her money-box used to be? 

Why do you turn your head, mother, 
And why do tear drops fall? 
And why do you crumple that note on the fire 
And say it is nothing at all? 

I woke to voices late last night, 
I heard an engine roar. 
Why do you tell me the things I heard 
Were a dream and nothing more? 

I heard somebody cry, mother, 
In anger or in pain, 
But now I ask you why, mother, 
You say it was a gust of rain. 

Why do you wander about as though 
You don't know what to do? 
What has happened to Lulu, mother? 
What has happened to Lu?

What Has Happened to Lulu?

Subject matter

It is a poem told in a child’s voice about his older sister running away.

A child is asking his mother what has happened to his sister, Lulu. There is nothing in her room, and her money-box has gone, with only an open window and an old rag-doll left behind. His mother is crying and burning a note. He thinks he heard voices and a car in the middle of the night, but his mother tells him he was only dreaming.

Form and structure

The poem is a ballad. written in four line stanzas where the second and fourth lines rhyme. This regular and simple form seems appropriate for the voice of the narrator, which is of a young child.

It is a first person dramatic monologue that is addressed to the mother of the narrator. It is almost entirely written in questions, both reflecting the age of the speaker and his puzzlement at what has happened to his sister. The form suggests the child’s innocence, while allowing the reader to read between the lines and understand what has happened.

Language and Imagery

Imagery

The image of the abandoned bed is the main one, described by the child narrator. The inclusion of childhood objects such as a rag-doll and a money-box emphasise the youth and innocence of the run-away Lulu. They are contrasted with the roar of the car engine heard in the night and the grown-up world that the narrator does not understand, emphasised by the constant questions. The curtain can be seen as a metaphor for Lulu’s new freedom, contrasted by the dust on the shelf that represents her previous life.

Sound

The doubling of the sound in ‘Lulu’, together with the high level of repetition of both the name and its shortening in the poem, create a strong echo of the sound – which is also the rhymed sound in the first and last stanza. This is quite a childish sound, and helps to create the plaintive note in the child’s questioning.

Attitudes, themes and ideas

The poem takes an approach that makes the reader work to figure out what has happened. We have to piece together the clues given in the poem. This is in contrast to the apparent simplicity of the poem provided by the ballad format and the child’s voice. Doing this also puts the reader in the position of the child, who does not understand what is going on. We, like the narrator, have more questions than answers. The tone is one of puzzlement.

What Has Happened to Lulu? 

It deals with themes of grief and love. The mother is grieving over her lost child. The fact that the child has run away does not make the grief less significant. The confusion of the narrator about his or her parent’s reaction also tells us something about the nature of grief.The poem also considers how we deal with children, in dismissing what they have heard or seen. The child narrator has some valid knowledge of what has happened, but his mother tells him he dreamed it. The poem raises the question of how the child can react, when he has been told nothing is the matter, when clearly it is. Ironically the mother does not know what to do, as the final stanza makes clear.

Setting

Place

·         Probably in England as the word "money-box" is a typical British word.

• Lulu's room
• The fireplace

Time

• In the past

Themes

1. The end of childhood and the loss of innocence

• Lulu is probably a young teenager. 
• She ran away based on the note that her mother crumpled.
• She took her savings "money-box" to start a new life with a man who drove her off in a "engine roar".
• She left her childhood behind.

2. Parent-child relationship

• The mother and Lulu relationship could have been a tense and strained one.
• Lulu is a rebellious teenager.
• She dislikes her mother's restrictions on her freedom and emerging interest in the opposite sex.
• She keeps secrets from her mother.
• The mother and narrator relationship is less dramatic.
• The narrator is obedient and respectful to the mother.
• The narrator loves the mother very much and observe her pain and distress.

3. Grief and love

• The mother is grieving over the loss of her child, Lulu.
• The mother clearly loves Lulu.
• The narrator loves the sister as she called her by pet name "Lu".
• The narrator is worried about the sudden disappearance of the elder sister

###############################################################

A Poison Tree - William Blake

2013/06/07

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

MEANING OF DIFFICULT WORDS

1.      Wrath - strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.

2.      Deceit – distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating

3.      Wiles – Trick, trap

4.      Veiled – conceal, lacking clarity or distinctness

POETIC/LITERARY DEVICES

1.      Personification 

-       Waters the wrath with fear

-        I told my wrath, my wrath did end

2.      Metaphor 

-The tree is considered as a wrath/anger

-"Till it bore an apple bright", the apple is a metaphor for the "fruit" of his grudge.

3.      Alliteration 

-sunned and smiles

-friend and foe

-bore and bright

4.      Imagery

- Throughout the poem

5.      Irony

-the foe beneath the tree of hatred

6.      Repitition

-“I was angry with my friend… I was angry with my foe”

7.      Allusion

-"Garden.. apple...tree" alludes to Adam & Eve, the Garden of Eden.

STANZA BY STANZA ANALYSIS

Stanza 1: William Blake speaks of someone, his friend and his foe, whom has he is angry with. When he says ‘I told my wrath, my wrath did end’ after he said he was angry with his friend, he is saying he was able to get over being angry with his friend and forgot about it. Although, it is quite the opposite when he mentions’ I told it not, and my wrath did grow’. Blake is saying that with his enemy, he allowed himself to get angry, and therefore, his wrath did grow.

Stanza 2: In this stanza, Blake begins to make his anger grow and he takes pleasure in it, comparing his anger with something, in this case, a tree or plant. The speaker says he ‘sunned it with smiles’ and ‘and with soft, deceitful wiles’. This means he is creating an illusion with his enemy saying he is pretending to be friendly to seduce and bring him closer.

Stanza 3: ‘And it grew both day and night’ and ‘til it bore an apple bright’ are meaning that his illusion with his enemy is growing and growing until it became a strong and tempting thing. His illusion has a metaphor and it is an apple. After, his foe believes it shines, which means he thinks it’s true and means something, and takes Blake illusion seriously. ‘And he knew it was mine’ suggests that he really thinks Blake is his friend.

Stanza 4: Being the last stanza, Blake needed to come up with a conclusion. He has used the two lines ‘in the morning glad I see’ and ‘my foe outstretched beneath the tree’ to say that his foe finally fell to his tempting illusion and metaphorically, consumed his poison apple and died. So, obviously, his malicious intentions were hidden behind illusion and he prevailed over his enemy.

CRITICAL APPRECIATION

In the first stanza, the consequence of allowing anger to continue instead of stopping it as it begins is shown. This consequence is simply that it will continue to grow. However, as the poem progresses, it is seen that this continued growth of anger can yield harmful results as the enemy, or foe, is lured toward the tree and eats of its fruit, the poison apple. This kills his foe, as he is seen outstretched beneath the tree, a sight the speaker is glad to see the next morning. These final two lines explain one of the main themes of the poem, which is that anger leads to self-destruction. The speaker’s anger grows and eventually becomes so powerful that it has changes from simple anger with another person, to desire to see them dead. One of the subjects of Blake’s work was the underworld, or Hell, and knowing this, it can be seen that the destruction which results from anger is not physical, but spiritual. In addition, the death of the foe, which the speaker is glad to see, does not spiritually affect the foe as the speaker is affected, but only physically harms the foe.

READING MATERIAL

Interpretation and Symbolism

After reading such an amoral poem, the search for hope or alternate meaning begins. A metaphor lives inside the poem, but instead of making the poem less wicked, the analogy confuses and questions faith.

Symbolically, the speaker represents God, the foe and garden represent Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the tree represents the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis. If this analogy is true, it shows God rejoicing in killing his enemies, which most people think the God they know would never do.

Blake’s poem is peculiar even for today’s standards, and his analogy may be ruthless and insensitive, but he does get the reader thinking. By looking further into the poem, we find that the speaker nourishes and feeds his wrath, which symbolically is the tree from the Garden of Eden. Is Blake suggesting that God fed his wrath and anger into the tree and intended for man to eat from it? If so, He is creating a world doomed to His wrath and anger, an idea just about anybody would shutter at.

%%%%%%%%%%%%% GOOD LUCK YOU GUYS........%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

PAST YEAR SPM QUESTIONS

2015

1 Describe what makes you happy 
and explain why.

2 Social networking has caused a lot 
of problems. How far do you agree?

3 Why is having good neighbours 
important?

4 Write a story about someone you know
 who took a big risk and had a good result. 
Begin your story with: "Everybody said 
that the plan would never work. It 
was far too risky ..."

5 ‘Honesty is the best policy.’ Describe 
an experience when this was true for you.

2014

1 Describe an important family celebration
 and how you felt about it.

2 There is a lack of freedom given to 
teenagers today. Do you agree?

3 Why are animals important to human 
beings?

4 Write a story about a fisherman 
beginning with: "The wind blew strongly.
 Out at sea, ..."

5 ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.
’ Describe how a friend helped you in
 difficult time.

2013

1 ‘Truly Malaysian.’ Describe what 
this means to you.

2 Is tuition necessary? Discuss.

3 Write a story about being alone.

4 Write a story that ends with: "... and 
so I became a better person."

5 Reality shows

2012

1 Describe an outing with your friends.

2 Should parents give children more 
freedom? Discuss.

3 Saving money for the future.

4 Write a story beginning with: "The 
teacher walked into the classroom. It
 was the first period ..." 

5 Cleanliness

2011

1 A famous person you admire.

2 Should school students have part-time
 jobs?

3 The best things in life are free.

4 Write a story that ends with: "... They l
ooked at each other and smiled meaningfully.


5 Peace

2010

1 Describe the most popular student in 
your school.

2 “The Internet is mostly a good thing.” 
Do you agree? Support your opinion. 

3 What can we do to save the environment?

4 Write a story beginning with "It had 
been raining all day..."

5 Home

2009

1 Describe an unforgettable incident that 
you
 saw on your way home from school.


2 School children should not have long 
holidays. Do you agree?

3 My favourite day of the week.

4 Write a story that ends with: 
"... We said our goodbyes and went our 
separate ways."

5 Beauty

SPM Writing Review

A Horror / Tragic Story 
by Jun Li 

I opened the door, to my horror, a few skeletons lay there, chained on the wall.

Okay, time to recap. I and my friends, Jack and Peter, were playing around an old, abandoned mansion. We were told that no one was allowed to enter. However, curiosity overcame us and we picked the lock, granting us entrance into the sacred lair of the unknown.

At the sight of the skeletons, the three of us were completely stunned. Our jaw hung wide open for a few minutes before we came back to our senses. My sixth sense told me that something was about to go wrong, so I urged the other two to back out of the mansion.

“Don’t be such a chicken,” said Jack, with a shaky voice.

“Aren’t you scared too?” I challenged him.

“Yes, but we might never get the chance to explore here again if we leave now.”

“…All right, but we leave as soon as the first sign of danger shows.”

We ventured deeper into the mansion. The design looked like some sort of torture room, or a prison. Even though I was afraid, I was eager to discover more. Throughout the lair, we did not lose sight of skeletons or spider webs. These were at every corner, at every turn. The occasional howls from a distance made the hair on our backs stand up straight. We finally arrived at a long hallway. Jack picked up a piece of wood and lighted it up with his lighter. The flame seared at first, but after it simmered down, I was able to see the walls clearly. There were ancient writings, the kind we usually see in an Egyptian grave robber movie. As the expert in history, Jack tried his best to decipher the carvings. Meanwhile, Peter leaned towards the wall to catch his breath. At that very moment, a cold chill went down my spine.

“Watch out!” I shouted.

Before he could react, that portion of the wall he was leaning against flipped, trapping him on the other side. All he could let out was a loud shriek and he vanished behind the walls. I pounded against the wall, shouting his name. Only then did I know what real terror felt like. However, the chance of rescuing him was bleak. I sank to the ground, desolated and hopeless.

“Let’s get out of here, we have to inform the adults!” suggested Jack.

I got to my feet swiftly and both of us sped through the building. My heart was racing. I knew that danger may be waiting at the next corner. I could hear blood pounding in my ears. Wait, was that a creak I heard? “Uh-oh,” I thought to myself. The ceiling began to crumble. My sub-consciousness took over. I sprang forward and tackled Jack. Both of us fell to the ground. Just as I thought that trouble was out of the way, the burning piece of wood slipped out of his hand and landed in a pile of grease. Fire started spreading like mad. I struggled to get up.

“Come on, there’s not much time left!” I screamed as I turned towards the exit.

“Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

In a split second, my head turned 180 degrees. A gigantic marble pillar fell on Jack. I mustered all the strength from every single cell in my body, trying to lift it up, to no avail. My eyes were watery. I was completely out of ideas.

“Save yourself, leave me, please,” muttered Jack, with a weak tone.

This was certainly a tough decision for me. All the moments we had spent together flashed through my mind. How could I leave him now? As the fire was close to sealing my only exit, I knew that I had to be rational. I dived for my escape route.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as the mansion erupted into flames behind me.



HORRIFYING SWIM


It was a school holiday. Rahman woke up at the crack of dawn and headed for Ah Chong’s house. The boys had agreed to meet Sean and Sasi, their classmates. It was a perfect day for a swim. Although they were all strong swimmers, Rahman’s mother had cautioned him against going for a swim. A week earlier, their neighbour's son had nearly drowned in that river.

    “Splash!” Hassan dived off the rock into the inviting river. The water was deep but he was not worried. After all, he was an excellent swimmer and a certified lifeguard. He knew the waters in the area well as he often swam there. He persuaded the rest of the boys to follow him up to a higher waterfall. They clambered up the boulders. “Let’s jump!” an exhilarated Rahman shouted. The boys plunged in together, screaming in delight.

      Suddenly, Sean was tumbling out of control. The water smashed him over and over again. The current had smashed the other boys against a rock and they managed to pull themselves out from the raging water. At first, they could not see Sean. Then, as the waves subsided, they saw Sean’s half-submerged figure, face down. Rahman dived into the water immediately. He knew that every second counted. Swimming strongly, he got to Sean in no time. With Sasi and Ah Chong’s help, they managed to pull Sean out of the water and onto the rock.

      “Oh God, let him not be dead!” Rahman pleaded. Sean looked so blue. The others stood, paralyzed, not knowing what to do. Rahman grabbed Sean’s wrist but he could not feel any pulse. He remembered what his teacher had told him. A drowning victim had to receive artificial breathing within four minutes or he would die. With his lifeguard training in his mind, Rahman immediately drew Sean’s head back and clamped his mouth over him. He began pumping breath into Sean’s lungs as Sasi compressed Sean’s chest while keeping count. Suddenly, Sean gurgled and threw up. They continued breathing and pumping. “Keep going. One of us has to go for help. Sasi, you are the fastest. Run home and get help. Ask someone to call for an ambulance. Quick.....”

      After thirty minutes, and what seemed like a lifetime, Rahman felt something moved against him. Sean’s leg had jerked against him. He felt for a pulse. “Sean’s breathing....” Rahman cried. Just then, they heard an ambulance. “You are going to be alright’ he assured Sean. Within minutes, the paramedics had lifted him to the ambulance and headed for the nearby hospital. At the hospital, the boys were so thankful that Sean was going to be alright and they had saved his life. Rahman’s mother gave him a stern lecture. Rahman felt bad and regretted not listening to his mother. 

Source: By jennyho

My Best Pal

Close friendships are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with people striving to achieve their interpretation of preordained success, it is hard to know who your true friends are. Fortunately, I found my best pal early at the tender age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same school and were at wits’ ends as we searched tirelessly for our designated classes.

Samantha and I got acquainted as both of us were in the same class and sat next to each other. Samantha was a happy-go-lucky girl who always managed to breathe fresh air into the sometimes arid classroom. She always knew what to say and would voice them at the best possible moments. Both pupils and teachers alike enjoyed her company and liveliness. There was hardly ever a dull moment when she was around with her funny quips and expressions. 

Samantha was born with a silver spoon. Her father was a businessman and her mother owned and ran a boutique. Both her parents were very caring towards her as she, just like I, was the only child of the family. Samantha came to school each day with a perpetual smile. She was a very nice person to be around with. She and I used to go everywhere together and both of us were rarely seen apart. We used to talk about so many things as we walked, thoroughly enjoying our time together.

One day, I went to school and forgot to ask my parents for lunch money. At first, I was not hungry and thought I could bear going without a meal but soon, my stomach began to growl. Without asking, Samantha generously paid for my meal and drinks during recess. The incident revealed to me how lucky I was to have such a caring and compassionate friend.

As time went on, people started teasing us as we were spending more and more time together. We seemed to know what each other thought and we cared for each other deeply. Was I in love with her? I did not know then and we both knew we were too young for all that emotional roller coaster.

Currently, Samantha and I are studying at different schools. It was hard to be apart at first, but technology in the form of instant messaging and e-mails have helped to bridge the gap in our friendship. I sincerely wish our friendship will never end as it would be equivalent to waking up from a beautiful dream.

Source: By Manu Menon