Sing Lit Station
A Platform Where Writers And Readers Meet
0

Moving People With Words

Poems on the MRT

Pelangi / Rainbow by Mohamed Latiff Mohamed

 

Pelangi
Mohamed Latiff Mohamed

Pelangi membaringkan dirinya
ke dasar kolam
yang bening dan jernih
memagari lautan
separuh dari buah susunya
dijamah senja
dan bakinya
buat permainan malaikat
di pinggir syurga.


Rainbow
Written by Mohamed Latiff Mohamed
Translated by Alfian Sa’at

A rainbow laid herself down
at the bottom of the pool
that is limpid and clear
encircling the ocean
half of its breast
is caressed by the dusk
while the rest
are playthings
for angels at the edge of paradise.

Published in Pralina (1980)

Mohamed Latiff Mohamed was a prolific poet and writer in Singapore’s Malay literary scene. Amongst his many accolades, he was a three-time winner of the Singapore Literature Prize, the Southeast Asian Write Award in 2003 and the Cultural Medallion in 2013. A teacher by training, he was best known for his works about the struggles of the Malay community in post-independence Singapore. Born in Singapore on 20 March 1950, his writings spanned several genres including poetry, short stories and essays. His novel, Batas Langit [Sky's Limit], was inspired by the tumultuous period in 1960s Singapore. Together with Ziarah Rindu [The Widower], it has been published in English translation as Confrontation (2013).

READ MORE FROM:

 
 
 

Poems on the MRT is an initiative by the National Arts Council, in partnership with SMRT and Stellar Ace. Produced by Sing Lit Station, a local literary non-profit organisation, this collaboration displays excerpts of Singapore poetry throughout SMRT’s train network, integrating local literature into the daily experience of commuters. Look out for poems in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil in trains on the East-West, North-South and Circle Lines, as well as videos created by local artists and featuring local poets in stations and on trains. The Chinese, Malay, and Tamil poems are available in both the original languages and English. To enjoy the full poems, commuters may read them on go.gov.sg/potm.

Sing Lit StationMalay