FARE THEE WELL FEARSOME TIGER!

FARE THEE WELL FEARSOME TIGER!

Fare thee well my good man!
The people's hero has departed!
An unsung icon reclaims
his just adulation,
spontaneous and heartfelt
Tens of thousands
We mourn, we throng,
we send you off...
We all cry, weep,
a little death saps,
hollows our soul
within us all...

Inside us....
Disbelief,
Sorrow,
Anguish,
Despair...
Then...
Hope,
of thousands
Tigers everyone!
Young, and old,
Malaysians all
Reigniting life's social purpose

Away fearful furies!
Courage cometh,
enstout our hearts
Energize our youths,
our gen X, gen Y
Of boys and men,
of girls and women,
A new generation entrusted
Oh recharged, united Malaysians
Rebuild our stalled Nation
Retrofit our collective
disparate strengths,
Dispel our homegrown schisms--
Squash our bigot-engendered mischief
Banish those ugly parochial extremisms
Stop the derailing train of bullies,
of cynical exclusive radicalism
Of political mindlessness
Of forgotten promises!
Retreat,  reflect, reform...
Let's grow together
to greater glories!

Sparked now ever so poignantly
So belatedly,
So consciously
By our Tiger of Jelutong,
Our Braveheart
So long, so accustomed,
So sure, so legally robust,
so authoritative
So dependable
Seemingly so timeless,
fearless,  fearsome!
Alas, untimely grim-reaped
Now lost to us all...

Whither the future?
Whither stronger men,
Women of substance?
Irreplaceable legacy...
Scores of wannabees
To fill such oversized shoes...
But hope lies eternal
Aspirants pledge renewed spirits
Thousands rise to be counted
Perhaps, never to be as great
But still, hearts and souls
are astirred now
Challenges to face anew
Promises of tomorrow beckons
Inspired now,
Oh towering icon
We'll take on
where you'd left off...

Rest now,
gentle giant of a man,
farewell good soul!
Fare thee well fearsome Tiger!