The Jay Chou Poem

The magical counter-clockwise clock transports me back to the past

I gaze with wonderment at the King of Mandopop being born with a grand piano, his nimble fingers dancing on its black and white keys

The coruscant golden armor

The circumambient enchanting melody

The eight dimensions are so enthralling that I find it hard to speak

Every moment is always the era

No matter how split I am

You are always the train's destination

The incomparable virtuosity and feat

I ride all the way north to rejoice in the sheer music-cum-magic spectacle

Your fantasy is olamic

How could one resist the canorous beauty of Opus 12?

All you create are undoubtedly the greatest works of art

From old Shanghai to modern Istanbul, from the Coral Sea to the 'Pink Ocean'

Any biont is obliged to step aside in your territory

The bucolic view of rice and terrace fields on a sunny day

Hearkens back to class 3-2, where I excitedly savor Grandpa's tea and Turkish ice cream

Then I am reminded of how sweet your smile is

Of how I do not care whether or not it is the end of the world

Making a love confession has never been this easy

The hair-raising atmosphere of William Castle

Does not deter the fearless dragon rider

Dashing through the formidable tornado as fast as the four seasons train

With a pair of steel nunchucks on his back and a razor-sharp double blade at his side

Hero Chou proves not to be a coward in the slightest, slaying half-beast humans without a step back

Silence

The time machine has obviously come to a halt

Soon afterwards I can hear the rhythm of the rain and the occasional drop of maple leaves

Is it time for a lulling bedtime story?

I flip my romantic handphone open and read the ataraxic handwritten past in my diary of love

In Chapter Seven, I fall abysmally into a dream

Thereupon, I find myself under a fun fair rainbow, thanking Yeh Hui Mei profusely in one breath

No sooner has it concluded than Jay utters from far away, "Long time no see!"

I say I won't cry but tears of scattered emotion instantly stream down my face

Please do not say goodbye, but give me the time of one song, and I will turn it into the longest movie

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This poem contains 62 references to Jay Chou's songs and 10 references to his albums. Below is the version with links to the corresponding songs and albums on Jay Chou's official YouTube channel. In the cases where a song reference coincides with an album reference, the link to the song, instead of to the album, is used.

The magical counter-clockwise clock transports me back to the past

I gaze with wonderment at the King of Mandopop being born with a grand piano, his nimble fingers dancing on its black and white keys

The coruscant golden armor

The circumambient enchanting melody

The eight dimensions are so enthralling that I find it hard to speak

Every moment is always the era

No matter how split I am

You are always the train's destination

The incomparable virtuosity and feat

I ride all the way north to rejoice in the sheer music-cum-magic spectacle

Your fantasy is olamic

How could one resist the canorous beauty of Opus 12?

All you create are undoubtedly the greatest works of art

From old Shanghai to modern Istanbul, from the Coral Sea to the 'Pink Ocean'

Any biont is obliged to step aside in your territory

The bucolic view of rice and terrace fields on a sunny day

Hearkens back to class 3-2, where I excitedly savor Grandpa's tea and Turkish ice cream

Then I am reminded of how sweet your smile is

Of how I do not care whether or not it is the end of the world

Making a love confession has never been this easy

The hair-raising atmosphere of William Castle

Does not deter the fearless dragon rider

Dashing through the formidable tornado as fast as the four seasons train

With a pair of steel nunchucks on his back and a razor-sharp double blade at his side

Hero Chou proves not to be a coward in the slightest, slaying half-beast humans without a step back

Silence

The time machine has obviously come to a halt

Soon afterwards I can hear the rhythm of the rain and the occasional drop of maple leaves

Is it time for a lulling bedtime story?

I flip my romantic handphone open and read the ataraxic handwritten past in my diary of love

In Chapter Seven, I fall abysmally into a dream

Thereupon, I find myself under a fun fair rainbow, thanking Yeh Hui Mei profusely in one breath

No sooner has it concluded than Jay utters from far away, "Long time no see!"

I say I won't cry but tears of scattered emotion instantly stream down my face

Please do not say goodbye, but give me the time of one song, and I will turn it into the longest movie

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Eternality

The sloshing pristine water at the pond's edge

Nudges me to your reflection

The unmatched grace

Your pulchritudinous face

All your flawless features floating in front of my melancholic visage

The good old days

Were buried deep in the past

Yet our romantic scenes are still pellucid as ever

Numberless rainy days

Never blemish our trysts anywise

The dulcet tune of your existence

Is a spring of joy for mine

I will embosom it

Preserving this priceless piece of yours

To futurity and beyond

Sipping warm latte in the mahogany ladder-back chair

Crepuscular light streaming through the bamboo Venetian blinds

I can't help but smile

Realizing that this is just another day

For our everlasting rendezvous

The creation of this poem was requested by Melvina and inspired by Yu Xia Yi Zheng Wan (雨下一整晚) by Jay Chou.

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Endless Love

With the rustling of oak leaves

I drifted into complete silence

The existent void

Is inexorably eating away at my soul

You are and are not at the same time

The murder of crows perching on the pole wire

Are endlessly, sickeningly cawing

Casting me into a dimension of excruciating agony

Even a single shadow of yours

I cannot taste

Your beauty is unsurpassed

Even though you have vanished altogether

I cannot take my eyes off you

Untold memories we have created together

I will preserve in perpetuity

Listening to Jay Chou's Nocturne

Is the sole consolation

Burying my last love letter

Beside your interred immaculate body

Let this romantic perfection be frozen till the end of time

The creation of this poem was inspired by Nocturne (夜曲) by Jay Chou.

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Reflection

Your muffled voice is haunting my existence

The plaid drapes have become much less intense

Do I still have the license?

I guess I need to stop the pretense

The incandescent sea is glaring at our figure

The feeling has become unbearable

All the sweetness expressed in nature

Has left completely untraceable

Silence is sometimes the answer

My hands are incapable of working magic

The consequential shudder

Has reflected the inevitably tragic

I simply need no excuse

For it is not square one

Let me sip the pomegranate juice

For I have unarguably won

The creation of this poem was inspired by Reflection (倒影) by Jay Chou.

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The Last Rhyme

Tormented, screeching at my nadir

My soul has crumbled now that you are not here

Where is your genuine warmth, dear?

Nor your velvet voice I can hear

This emptiness strangles my very life, helplessly suffocating

This loneliness rends it into millions, mindlessly floating

Can I still impart unalloyed happiness?

Or would it be transmuted into unutterable sadness?

Please gaze at me one more time

And hearken to this last rhyme

If you think it is merely a dime

Just make that parting chime

The creation of this poem was inspired by Kai Bu Liao Kou (開不了口) by Jay Chou.

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Return to Your Embrace

The morning shower is blurring your seraphic figure

Yet I can see you wholly, crystal-clear

Our first encounter on the sidewalk

Was an inexhaustible spring of fond memories

I savored every utterance from your cherry-red lips

I delightfully took in every bit of your emanating beauty

This exclusive felicity

Was all I could ever ask for

Out of the blue, a ferocious storm was brewing

It then pummeled our romantic chain, splintering it into millions

My incredulity engulfed the whole of me

The elation had to be shattered in an absolute instant

It has been forever

But let me be completely honest

I cannot fathom the word "love" without you in my mind

Can I return to your embrace?

Together with you picking up the abandoned crochet and carrying on our lovework?

The creation of this poem was inspired by Hui Dao Guo Qu - The One Concert (回到過去 - The One 演唱會) by Jay Chou. To watch the original MV, click here.

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The Amazing World of Dinosaurs – Book Review

The Amazing World of Dinosaurs

by James Kuether

Needless to say, the world of dinosaurs is amazing. These unique creatures have ceaselessly captivated and intrigued the human race and prevail in the mind of numerous children all around the world. However, what we really encounter at present are their lifeless remnants in the form of fossils. By means of science, paleontologists attempt to work out the veritable reality of their world, but we need a kind of tool for "reviving" these remarkable animals in our mind, enabling us to visualize what the dinosaurs would have been like when they were alive. Paleoartists are people who fulfill this noble & crucial role, and it is a blessing that James Kuether, a member of this profession, brought to us The Amazing World of Dinosaurs, a dinosaur book that he wrote himself and filled with his own beautiful illustrations.

The Amazing World of Dinosaurs is a great summary that gracefully guides readers through the Mesozoic history of the non-avian dinosaurs. The author uses elegant language which is couched in conversational style, guaranteed to entertain the readers and keep them hooked on the subject throughout. His lifelike illustrations are absolutely stunning and they are certainly delights for those who appreciate these incredible creatures. To my mind, these are two things that stand out in this book.

This 176-page volume starts with a concise discussion on the history of dinosaurology, paleoart, and the importance of imagination in science as well in reconstructing these breathtaking animals. Then, the readers will be guided through the dawn of the dinosaurs in the Triassic Period up to the demise of the non-bird kind at the end of the Cretaceous Period around 66 million years ago. I am heartily glad that this book includes information about new discoveries such as Medusaceratops and Dakotaraptor, which I was not very familiar with. What is more, The Amazing World of Dinosaurs contains a pronunciation guide (which would help with the often daunting act of saying the names of prehistoric animals and plants correctly) as well as a glossary (which would greatly assist readers in understanding unfamiliar paleontological terminology used in this book). Overall, The Amazing World of Dinosaurs is well worth reading & collecting and it will be a nice addition to your dinosaur book pile.

This book is complemented by a deck of cards which is offered separately. Click here to purchase the cards.

Have you read The Amazing World of Dinosaurs? What do you think about this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!

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My First-Ever Podcast on Dinosaurs!

This past week has been a little surreal for me. Out of the blue, a former colleague of mine Aep Syaefullah, the host of Kantor Penasaran, contacted me and asked whether I would like to talk in his podcast about one of the most influential things in my life: dinosaurs. 🦖🦕 Is this for real? The invitation left me psychologically unstable for some time, and eventually I said yes! I felt it would be a great chance to channel my interest to the general public, specifically the Indonesians, the vast majority of whom, in my opinion, are indifferent to the majestic creatures. So, on June 1, 2020 we did the recording and talked about dinosaurs for about 45 minutes. Here is a poster for the event:

The podcast can be accessed on the following platforms: Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, Breaker, and RadioPublic. The title is "Klinsman H: Talking about Dinosaurs in Indonesia" and, as you must have noticed, it was recorded in Indonesian, our native language. Although we did have a discussion about dinosaurs in Indonesia, the podcast actually covers more than that: what dinosaurs mean to me, my dinosaur-related collection, whether Komodo dragons are honest-to-goodness dinosaurs, and so on. Here is a snippet of the podcast:

Listen to the full podcast here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4kLxn9T4W57KpVUKxNGSTI?si=WOMoIUEjTKWd2khL3TLwDw

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/kantor-penasaran/episodes/24--Klinsman--Bicara-tentang-Dinosaurus-di-Indonesia-eertb2

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kODc4ZjdjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz/episode/OTc2MmM2ODAtNDVhNC00NzJkLWE3MTYtMmUyNzVjNTVkYmZm?ved=0CAcQ38oDahcKEwjYhs2Bq-jpAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBg

Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/kantor-penasaran-podcast/e/64911697

RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/kantor-penasaran-podcast-8XPazn/s1!8fff2

I'm really sorry for any imperfections in the podcast – to be honest, I was somewhat nervous! However, I hope that the audience can enjoy listening to our conversation and get something useful from it! 😊

Related articles:

• Why Dinosaurs?
• Why Dinosaurs Matter – Book Review

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Cotton Candy

I will never forget that particular summer day
Although the sun is baking hot, I can't help letting out a little smile at your chubby face
Your altogether unexpected greeting
Is the only thing that makes my day

A date with you on any date feels indescribably special
Each and every one is a pleasurable phantasmagoria
Holding each other's hands, we playfully enjoy slurping sticks of colorful cotton candy on a bright Sunday
To this day, the sweetness of your lips is still lingering on mine

Months flutter quickly, unnoticed
Our love has grown stronger than ever
I will never let anyone cure this addiction
For you are my ultimate medicine

I never thought the definition of "happiness" is so simple
As long as you are by my side
How could I be inflicted by soul-gnawing desolation?
I hope this romantic voyage will reach no end

The creation of this poem was inspired by Tian Tian De (甜甜的) by Jay Chou. Continue reading

Excruciation

Teardrops fall incessantly
The overcast sky shows no sign of a bright day
My past was completely bleak, hauling you into sorrow
Splintering hearts
I never expected this to transpire

Where is the so-called true love which people say?
Can't you forgive me this time?
Your impeccable visage
Can I put my lips there?
Don't you know how feeble I am without your existence?

Never have I intended to crush your heart
But I cannot deny reality
Those dazzlingly beautiful memories
Will they remain only in my mind?
I will leave if that is what you ultimately want

The creation of this poem was inspired by Ge Qian (擱淺) by Jay Chou. Continue reading

Your Smile

The cluttered streets of Jakarta
Would instantly give dizziness to anyone
A snap of your smile
Is always the focal point of my attention
Diverting the insanity I would otherwise experience

I share my world with you
Going on a fantastic ride every day
My life is brimming with bliss
I can see eternal love from your beautiful gaze
Your tenderness is what I need every second

Am I utterly crazy myself?
I have fallen into an abyss of romance
Your prodigious beauty has trapped me
I will reside in your realm forevermore
And I love it

The creation of this poem was inspired by Ta De Jie Mao (她的睫毛) by Jay Chou. Continue reading

It's You

A silky, smiling visage brightly shines a pathway
I walk it without any bits of worry
Who is that?
It's you, it's you

An angelic voice reverberates throughout my soul
Peace and love are the only norms
Who is that?
It's you, it's you

Your sweetness is my greatest source of happiness
Why are you so perfectly cute?
My whole life is devoted to being mesmerized by your beauty
I cannot resist this addictive force

It's you, it's you

Your magical affection is inexhaustible
I deeply admire this priceless gift
Chanting your name is what I will always do
Only then can I define bliss

It's you, it's you

My missing grand life puzzle piece
Who makes my exaggerations understatements
It's you

The creation of this poem was inspired by Shou Yu (手語) by Jay Chou.

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Summer Breezes

The maple leaves across the road
Vaguely resemble your pale fingers
Memories made on the long-haul train journey
Pop up from the diary we wrote together on the park bench
Thinking of you
Always makes my smiles bloom
The warmth of your hug is indelible
Perpetually calming me down when I am nervous

The end of the voyage has now gone by
What I can see now is your shadowy figure
You are holding someone's hands
But they are not mine
Why am I still smiling?

The summer breezes at our city beach
Remind me of all the bliss you've given me
The aroma of your body
Drowns out the smell of the sea
I can still strongly feel your presence
The blistering sunlight
Your sandy cute dimples
I wish I could freeze all those moments and replay my role in the clips whenever I wanted to

Opening my eyes, I can still see my hopes and dreams
Although your beautiful name is not engraved on them
You don't need to mind me
But I want you to know
If you turn back, you'll surely see me
Because my love for you will never perish

The creation of this poem was inspired by Bai Se Feng Che (白色風車) by Jay Chou.

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