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Poems on the MRT

温柔的城市 / A Gentle City by Yu Fan

 

温柔的城市
语凡

时间未完曲
世事在转变
一页一页
岁月的流动
在繁忙之城市
尽情的恋
在破哓 在黎明
在人流中移居的感情
适意你初识的记忆
感觉你暗涌的激情
每个故事继续
每段爱蔓延
这城因你而美丽
世间因你而多姿
去梦想 去生活

生活就像写诗
写诗美丽着生活
每天感动
每个脚步书写
随着岁月的河流
渐成游唱的旅人
面容平和心情愉悦
万物为你的歌唱和
世间未完曲
时空在转变
拥抱付出和珍惜
每个故事期待
每段爱感恩
这城
被你温柔

A Gentle City
Written by Yu Fan
Translated by Shelly Bryant

time’s unfinished melody –

the world is changing

page by page
the flow of time

in the bustling city

freely in love

in the breaking dawn
the feeling of migrating through the crowd –

you savour the memories of each first encounter

feeling the passion surging beneath the surface

every story continues

every love expands

this city, alluring – because of you

the world, vibrant – because of you

go dream, go live

life is like composing a poem
writing poetry brings beauty to life
touched each day
each step composes a tale

you follow the river of time
gradually becoming
a travelling troubadour
a calm face, a joyful heart

all things harmonising with your tune

the world’s unfinished melody

space and time, changing

embrace the giving, the cherishing

every story waits

every love gives thanks

this city,

made gentle – by you

Published in The Harass of Travel 旅行的困境 (2019)

Chan Kok Peng, who writes under the pen name "Yu Fan," is a prominent figure in Singapore's literary scene. As the current Vice-Chairman of the Singapore Literature Society and chief editor of the Singapore Literary Newspaper (新加坡文艺报), he has made significant contributions to promoting literature in Singapore. Yu Fan has published nine poetry collections, a prose poetry collection, and a prose collection. His literary excellence has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Singapore Literature Prize for Poetry, the Fang Xiu Literary Award for Poetry, and the Golden Point Award for Short Stories. In 2023, he also received the Outstanding Literary Work (Short Story) Award, as well as multiple accolades from Taiwan, such as the Taiwan Times Literary Award for Poetry (台湾时报文学奖) and the Taiwan Poetry Creation Award for Prose Poetry （台湾诗学创作奖散文诗佳作奖). He has also been honoured with the 5th Anniversary Poetry Award for Modern Chinese Poetry in Taiwan（台湾华文现代诗五周年诗奖正奖）and the 2nd Dr Chen Zan-Yi World Micro-Fiction Creation Award （第二届陈赞一博士世界华文微型小说创作奖).

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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.

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