Merlion City 2

ACROSTIC ODE TO SINGAPORE Urge strikes a feel and flow of obvious appeal, See a tiny red-dot enroute to places, Embracing the path of economic will. Bestow on this land of many dear faces Use of timely ideas and productive strides, Yield to our people fond smiles and fine graces. See this island nation in Asiatic tides, Immersed with multi-racial community, Now living the modern age with bustling pride. Glimpse beyond the struggles of democracy, Align the prospects of resolute progress: Pursuit of excellence and competency. Opting to serve the world via business express, Reaching outwards and upwards through ample trade, Exploring better ways and means to progress. Join our contemporary lifestyle parade: Open minds that make ordinary things great, Yes we embark on a quest to keep our grades. Now and here we gather our wits to greet fate, Open our hearts to make lifelong learning fit, Willing to work our way to wealthy estates. Give all we got to spur progress more discrete, Employ our best efforts to niche steady bits, Trust in the truth to live our national grit. Make what you will of our solemn choice of wit: Echo our song beyond scenarios that pit. (Notes: This work is an Ode written in Terza Rima. Each line has eleven syllables throughout for the tercet verses (3-line per verse) and for the final couplet of 2-line verse. I have also added a new part into this Ode: an Acrostic element. This is just an idea to make the composition more interesting and offer another perspective to the reader. This acrostic fit is definitely more cumbersome but well worth the wordplay and effort. Tell me what you think if you have a comment to make. Thanks.) ------------------------------------------------- Leon Enriquez 06 Mar 2014 Singapore