Who would have thought that Singapore's public transport could become your next favourite poetry anthology? The "Poems on the MRT" initiative – a collaboration between the National Arts Council, SMRT Corporation, and Stellar Ace – is all about turning mundane train rides into a literary adventure.
Poetry in motion: Embark on Singapore’s literary journey with poems on the MRT and local poet Yeow Kai Chai’s impromptu zoetrope poem
Event Details
01 Nov 2024 (Fri) - 01 Nov 2025 (Sat)
DHOBY GHAUT MRT STATION (CC1)
To celebrate the ongoing campaign, Catch invited the event’s co-curator and local poet Yeow Kai Chai to craft an impromptu poem using words and phrases contributed by MRT commuters.
The theme for the poem was “Life in Singapore”. Within about an hour, Yeow effortlessly created a 26-line poem that incorporated all 30 random prompts. His creation, "From A to Z, A Hungry Zoetrope Documents A Surreal Day in Singapore in Headlines", follows a delightfully quirky zoetrope format.
Each line comprises of words containing a common alphabet, and every line features the successive alphabet. In other words, words in the first line contain “a”, words in the second line “b”, and so forth – just imagine a linguistic acrobat performing between station stops.
From 1 Nov, 2024 to 30 Oct, 2025, commuters can discover over 100 poetic gems across the East-West, North-South and Circle Lines. These aren't just poems; they're multilingual narratives in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil – each accompanied by English translations.
Among this wide selection of poems covering various genres, Catch has handpicked five nature-inspired poems to bring the outside world into your daily commute. Whether you're staring out the train window or seeking a brief mental reprieve, these verses promise to transform your commute into a moment of wondrous contemplation.
Who knew Singapore's public transport could become a moving, breathing piece of art?
1. FLAME OF THE FOREST BY AARON LEE
If you’re a nature lover, escaping the banalities of daily life with the warmth of the Sun and basking in the aroma of fresh flowers, this poem is perfect for you.
Aaron Lee – a prize-winning poet, writing mentor, community organiser and banking lawyer – captures his immense appreciation for nature in this short poem. He expresses his love for a tree, with its bright “scarlet” flowers symbolising warmth and light. The tree follows the sun, and its flowers' simple response to light brings him a sense of peace and understanding.
2. WARKAH UNTUK SEORANG ISTERI (BUAT SU) / LETTER TO MY WIFE (FOR SU) BY YATIMAN YUSOF
In this snippet of the heartwarming poem “Warkah Untuk Seorang Isteri (Buat Su)” – or “Letter To My Wife (For Su)” in English – former Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communications and The Arts, Mr Yatiman bin Yusof, reveals the intimate connection between him and his wife, for whom this piece was written.
Natural elements like thorns and fire are cleverly used to convey the headstrong personas of both Yusof and his wife. The poem snippet ends with them pledging to stay together amidst all adversities, symbolising a shared journey of growth, patience and love above all.
To all the hopeless romantics out there – perhaps fantasising about meeting their soulmate on a train like in a rom-com TV series – this poem (available in both Malay and English) will surely tug at your heartstrings with its tender portrayal of love and devotion.
3. 青木恋人 / LOVER OF VERDANT TREES BY AW SEOW POOI
“青木恋人” – or “Lover of Verdant Trees” in English – reflects on the deep sorrow of losing a loved one. Written by Aw Seow Pooi – a distinguished poet and winner of many awards, including the 2017 Singapore Golden Point Award – the poem captures the delicate interplay of memory and grief through gentle, nature-inspired metaphors.
Aw – originally from Ipoh, Malaysia, and now based in Singapore – takes us back to the moment she first met her loved one in the above snippet, describing their connection despite differing backgrounds. With serene imagery, she portrays their accent as "calm, green waves", evoking a sense of peace and understanding.
As the poem unfolds, insects like moths and butterflies make appearances, harking back to an old belief that the souls of the departed return in the form of these delicate creatures to visit the living. Be sure to read the full poem (available in both Chinese and English) to catch these little elements that make the piece so touching and stir a sense of nostalgia.
4. நரை வெளிச்சம் / Twilight by KTM Iqbal
Here’s a snippet of another poem with strong imagery; writer KTM Iqbal skilfully uses the rainbow as a metaphor for aging – a process that diminishes physicality but allows for growth, resilience and wisdom.
This provocative piece – titled “நரை வெளிச்சம்” in Tamil or “Twilight” in English – introduces readers to a different, more positive perspective of aging, which is often surrounded by dread and despair. Whether you or an elder in your life yourself fears the inevitable process of aging, let this poem provide some comfort.
5. ALL THE SOUNDS OF MYNAHS BY TSE HAO GUANG
To end this list on a high note, here’s the third stanza of “All the Sounds of Mynahs” by Tse Hao Guang – a 2016 fellow of the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program, 2018 National Writer-in-Residence at Nanyang Technological University and 2023 virtual resident of the National Centre for Writing at Norwich. This poem in English was originally published in the book “Deeds of Light” (2015), and republished in “Unfree Verse” (2017).
If you’ve been awakened by noisy koel birds early in the morning, keep a lookout for this piece that’s sure to tickle your funny bone with its local flavour, mocking humour and hint of absurdity. These references immediately transport you to familiar settings where animals are commodified and easily accessible – it’s almost as if they're products off a store shelf rather than living creatures with natural habitats.
Catch snippets of these poems and more on the train, and if you like what you see, scan the accompanying QR codes to read the full versions.
Image credits: Chong Jun Liang, Jon Gresham, National Arts Council, Berita MediaCorp, Sea Breeze Books, Arts House Limited, Thryft, Ethos Books
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