(1) Happy Birthday Poem to Sarah
It was ten years ago today
When you came into this world
For more than 300 million times
In as many seconds
It is a remarkable blessing
Without our counting it
But I am sure you have grown
To be able to solve this math
quiz
You came to be a heavy weight
Weighing a hefty 9 pounds and
12.5 ounces
Chubby for a 21-inch long baby
Surpassing one hundred some
newborns
And probably many more
In the days following your birth
At St. Peter’s Hospital where you
landed
Two amazing things are
Mom did not get any anesthesia
To allay her pain of late-stage
dilation
And
You slid through
The birth canal
Unscathed
My heartfelt salutation to two
heroines
Mom and daughter
Fearing momentous history of
parenthood might be lost
I recorded copious amount of
videotapes
From your arrival in the delivery
room
To your suckling of milk and
thumb
To your bathing in a baby tub
To your sleeping in the crib
To your diaper changing
To your sitting upright
To your crawling
To your walking
To your running
Yes
You have become
A lanky and slender
Medal-winning runner
You were understandably jealous
though
When your siblings came
You once challenged me
Which child I loved the most
I said politically correctly and
wishfully
I loved all three of you
You were not convinced of my
answer
Until I replayed those videotapes
(So glad that I recorded them)
But you still said a famous line
“Daddy, you just love us
But you love Stephanie very,
very, very much”
May I ask?
When did you learn to pile up
adjectives like that?
I know that you love your
siblings
You three have become best
friends
I understand your pain of
sympathy
When a crying Stephanie had to
endure
Uncomfortable restraint from her
dentist
To have a pair of teeth cavity
filled recently
Still remember the days?
When you enjoyed being pulled
around
By sitting in a paper box
Still recall your promise?
When three of us were vacationing
in Bermuda
You felt very privileged to be
the firstborn
And solemnly vowed to love your
brother more
Who was left at home with the
grandparents
You are indeed fulfilling your
vow
You are a first class organizer
Chaos does not stand long before
you
Order will be restored quickly by
your able hands
Thank you for taking up so much
house chore
Be it floor sweeping
Birdcage and fish tank cleaning
Clothes sorting and folding
You name it
In a blink of an eye
Items are often disappeared
From where we conveniently put
But now we know fully well
Which miracle worker in our house
Is behind things missing in
action
I am most grateful
You are a professing Christian
You know your faith well
Caring about those who are not
saved
And anticipating the Lord’s
imminent coming
Remember what you often say?
“If Jesus does not come back yet”
Whenever I ask you to envision
this or that for your life
I just love your conditional
clause
Your faith-driven way of thinking
I must confess that my love to
you
Has not been without regret and
guilt
I wish I could relive your
childhood with you
Just one more time
To make up my deficiency of love
To undo the wrong words and deeds
But the Lord is gracious
By giving Stephanie to us
Who looks so much like you
In all apparent physical
attributes
As if on her I can make up
My loss of love on you
Perhaps you were right after all
I love Stephanie a little more
Than I loved you at her age
Shouldn’t we thank the Lord?
For this disproportionate love
I am sure you will not mind this
anymore
I vow to love you all the more
maturely
As you quickly grow into your
teen years
Our growth portfolio consists of
three parts
Sarah Lee
Samuel David
Stephanie Joy
I count on bullish gains for all
three
In the years to come
In a bearish land of
child-rearing
Very, very, very affectionately
yours,
Daddy
(Composed on Aug.15, 2001)
(2) Happy Birthday Poem to Samuel
Today
Let's celebrate
In joyful bliss
For your stamping
With tiny footprints
On life's lease
For tomorrow
We shall dial again
Deep into our conscience
8:46 am
Marks the beginning
Of deafening silence
You are ahead
By just one day
Nine years ago
But one day
Separates the worlds
Joy and sorrow
You are fortunate
(or really so?)
Free to say cheese
And can have a mouthful too
Unfairness to you
Takes on a new meaning
No peanuts and fish, for good
Surmise not for a moment
Plenty is children's lot
Around the globe
Thin and dry walking sticks
Cast in sultry Sahara desert
Ghastly shadows
You have a foretaste of wealth
By owning tanks and planes
All made of plastic lego
Online basketball befits your stature
Virtual pets cry thirst and hunger
Pool table connects vying souls
Inventor's dream of yours
Can be illusive to many
Who struggle to gingerly tiptoe
Maimed Afghan lads still groan
Gaza Strip continues to moan
Anguish in Euphrates foam
I love your inquisitiveness
You pry before many a bedtime prayer
For my childhood stories untold
I love your gentleness
Bequeathed unlikely by genes alone
But the spirit within upholds
I love your frankness
You taught me
Less serious may I be so
But you appeared to be serious
When you asked me if top 1%
Suffice for Harvard to go
I love to hate your babyish utterance
Your tentative pleas to sleep by me
On weekend nights if stars glow
I love to hate your selective laidback
attitude
You try hard to bat the ball beyond reach
Catch fast only to throw it slow
Just like your sisters sang this morning
Happy birthday to you
You are one hundred and two
You smell like a monkey
And you look like one too
Happy birthday to you
(9/10/2003)
(3) A Happy Birthday Poem for Stephanie
Six years is a tiny speck in time.
But without you, the universe would be amiss.
It would not stir up Dad's desire for the first ever internet
order
That sent Mom a bouquet celebrating the first sign of your coming.
It would not beget a warm body like a little furnace
That naps between Dad and Mom at daybreak every morning.
It would be deprived of a young skier
That plays peekaboo with energies, kinetic and potential.
It would be devoid of a good batter
That trains with confidence to become a great pitcher.
It would be short of a trophy-winning artist
That paints in bright colors God's wonder creatures.
It would fail to resonate with a pianist
That dances elegantly on the keyboard with agile fingers.
It would not hear a spelling bee
That recites verses after verses from the Scripture.
It would not observe a genuine pilgrim
That reminds your Dad to begin praying from that corner.
It would not witness a time-conscious soul
That asks if you are on time or belated.
It would not instantly stop a bicker between Mom and Dad
With your impromptu line of godsend: it's not worth it!
It would lack one charming angel
That innately beams out smiles so captivating.
It would rob many friends of a gem
That proves adorable and endearing.
What a blessing you have been!
Six years is just the beginning.
(Composed around the first morning hour on 2004/6/14)