Moorings by Paul Tan
Outside the ships are
riding the crests and troughs of sea
but never moving.
I rub the last of sleep
off my eyes as I watch you --
your upturned white soles,
soft toes and eyes still closed.
I leave only a touch
on smooth thights.
My hand tingles.
This perfect picture blurs.
Love is wet around the eye,
I once said over a rainy supper.
I think (no, I know)
you would rather I leave quietly.
I button up slowly and
turn to the door,
leaving you in golden morning glow,
resplendent slumber.
A ship recovers its anchor
and pulls away sadly
as if in a dream.
Published in Curious Roads (1994)
Paul Tan was the director of the Singapore Writers Festival (2011 to 2014) and has published five collections of poetry.
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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.