while (my $var = <STDIN>) awk -f work_5messages.awk $var 

##</code><code>##

while (my $var = <STDIN>) {
    chomp $var;
    system 'awk', -f => 'work_5messages.awk', $var and
      die "D'Oh! (Do better error checking!!)";
}

##</code><code>##

while read var; do awk -f work_5messages.awk "$var"; done

##</code><code>##

syntax error near unexpected token `)' 
`while (my $var = <STDIN>) '