Arrow of Time: And Other Poems of Anonymity and Dissolution

By Chew Lawrence

To read his poems is to be invited into the swirling vortex of quantum physics, philosophy, evolutionary biology and personal biography. Engaging with them is not only a stimulating intellectual exercise it may lead the reader to ponder the nature of the universe and our place in it.

In these poems, you meet the defiance of modern man, stripped of the easy consolations of God, conversing with silent space. This conversation vacillates from harshness in its relentless logic to tenderness in its lyricism. They do not diminish the human condition nor our unique penchant to seek meaning; but rather counsels a sense of proportion in our reactions to life's vicissitudes when placed in a cosmic scale.
Jeffery Lee (Singapore Poet)


Now on the poems you sent me: they are unique; they carry me along with your carefully chosen words; I cannot describe them because of the sweet meaning you have put hidden all throughout your poems, amazing.
Christian Jay, Senior Publishing Consultant

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Jun 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482823608

Book preview

Arrow of Time

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Swift entropic arrow of time,

You illicit my poetic freedom!

You vex me inside-out of rhythm,

Outside-in of rhyme;

You irreversible debacle

And thermodynamic oracle,

Too late I learn: in my present

Wanes a future crescent!

How like an even sun I set;

How, sliver of moon, I wane;

Loafer poet, how shall I not regret

The poems I didn’t beget?

Sharp-cutting quarrel of time!

You go for the jugular;

All I denominate as dollar

You decimate as dime.

Lawrence Chew

20 April 2014

Notes for Arrow of Time

The arrow of time is a ‘thermodynamic’ arrow in that it obeys the laws governing the nature of heat, the two most notable being that entropy or disorder in an isolated system never decreases with time, and heat always moves from a hot to a cold place. The poet laments to himself the swift passage of time and its debilitating effects on all human endeavors, not least his poetic endeavors.

Entropic: of entropy or disorder that grows with time

Illicit: to disapprove of; to outlaw

Vex: cause annoyance

Debacle: sudden or ludicrous failure; fiasco

Thermodynamic: of the dynamics or flow of heat

Loafer poet: the poet addresses himself

Quarrel: a pun, a ‘quarrel’ is both a dispute and the head of an

Reviews for Arrow of Time

[bryanhiggs · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found this book difficult to read; the writing style is turgid, academic and lacking in enthusiasm.The book could have been good, but:1) The writing style was boring and academic2) The authors seem to come from the Ilya Prigogine Brussels School, and the incessant references to him and to the school became annoying3) The authors talked a lot about dissipative irreversible processes (using lots of examples that could have been fascinating if better presented), but failed to explain why the existence of these processes could shed light on the fact that the arrow of time is unidirectional, rather than mere evidence that iit is.

[bunnyladen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you've ever wondered why you can't go back in time, this is the book for you!