Nothing ever lasts for ever
The good and bad have no lingering power
This early paradise soon gone at great cost
From Japanese bombs our peace was lost
The beginning of a new life
Doing our best to keep alive
To a safer place now to evacuate
Helped by good friends to locate
Refuge at Kulai`s Frazer Estate
Shifted in some great haste
The Japanese made an east coast landing
Making advances after heavy pounding
Shelter at O T Namiar`s house
Much gratitude this gesture arose
Dispensary and house close together
The early war years this way we weather
Rubber trees the house surrounding
A jungle stream nearby rounding
At dusk fireflies flickering
Quinine against Malaria guarding
Japanese soldiers one day appear
Camouflaged armed causing fear
Food and drink demanding
About enemy troops enquiring
Soon Singapore fell
Began a time of Japanese ruled hell
The rising sun now on flagpoles
Uncertainty and fear take their toll
To Johore Bahru we decide to return
Seeing burnt out
buildings and cars upturned
Roads almost deserted
A new order now asserted
Our house at No 108 run down unkept
Before washing and scrubbing well swept
Food in very short supply
Our wits needed to apply
From Chinniah Pillay`s got our provisions
Milk sugar tea coffee all on ration
Soon vendors began to ring their bells
Dried up vegetables and fruits to sell
For the old order we so much pine
Barely managing in such times
Restored by the Japanese some order
Even with much plundering and murder
To Japanese school we went
On learning a new language bent
Two years of study
For employment then got ready
M P Prabhakar
19.9.2015
PJ
Reminiscences – 2
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