Contents Acknowledgements
vii
Timeline of Historical Events and Literary Publications
xiii
General Introduction
xxi
Section 1: Literature in English Before 1965
1
Section 2: 1965–1990
167
Section 3: 1990–present
353
References
673
v
FM v
6/19/09 10:36:13 PM
Philip Holden
1
SECTION 1
Literature in English Before 1965
01-Intro (1-14) 1
6/19/09 10:37:03 PM
Philip Holden
3
Contents Introduction: Literature in English in Singapore before 1965 ................................... 5 1.
From Sejarah Melayu ........................................................................................ 15
2.
Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir ............................................................................... 18 From Hikayat Abdullah
3.
Isabella Bird ..................................................................................................... 23 From The Golden Chersonese
4.
Short Stories and Poems from The Straits Chinese Magazine............................ 31 Chia Cheng Sit, “Her One Redeeming Feature” Lew See Fah, “Lost and Found” Wen Ching, “The Persecution of the Reformers” Straits Chinese Volunteer, “The Bellicose Mongolians” Gak-Chok-Sin, “Autumn in Japan” Gak-Stok-Sin, “Nature’s Secret”
5.
Joseph Conrad ................................................................................................. 44 From The End of the Tether
6.
Hugh Clifford .................................................................................................. 62 “Our Trusty and Well-Beloved”
7.
Lim Boon Keng ............................................................................................... 71 From Tragedies of Eastern Life
8.
Poetry and Short Stories from The Straits Chinese Annual ............................... 81 Ella Gulliemard, “The Palm Grove” Yap Pheng Geck, “The Coolie” H.G.F., “Traveller’s Rest”
9.
Francis Ng........................................................................................................ 95 From F.M.S.R.
10.
S. Rajaratnam................................................................................................... 99 “The Tiger”
11.
James Puthucheary ......................................................................................... 104 “Song of the Workers” 3
01-Intro (1-14) 3
6/19/09 10:37:05 PM
4 Writing Singapore
12.
Wang Gungwu ............................................................................................... 106 “Plus One” “Three Faces of Night” “A New Sensation”
13.
Hedwig Aroozoo ............................................................................................ 118 “Rhyme In Time”
14.
Lim Thean Soo .............................................................................................. 122 “The Towkay” “The Streets of Singapore” “The Chempaka Blooms Again” “Lallang”
15.
Han Suyin ...................................................................................................... 127 From And the Rain My Drink
16.
Kassim Ahmad ............................................................................................... 137 “A Common Story”
17.
Janet Lim ....................................................................................................... 141 From Sold for Silver
18.
Eee Tiang Hong ............................................................................................. 152 “Bukit Batok, Singapore” “Song of a Young Malayan” “O To Be In England”
19.
Lee Kok Liang ............................................................................................... 156 “It’s All in a Dream”
01-Intro (1-14) 4
6/19/09 10:37:05 PM
Introduction
167
SECTION 2
1965–1990
Ch-Intro (167-181) 167
6/19/09 10:43:02 PM
Introduction
169
Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................... 173 1.
Margaret Leong ............................................................................................... 182 “The Lighthouse at Tanah Merah” “Pasir Ris – Sunset” “The Air Above the Tamarinds” “Chinese Funeral”
2.
Cecile Parrish ................................................................................................... 186 “Ships at Singapore” “Low Tide, Johore” “The Scarlet Land”
3.
Wong May ....................................................................................................... 190 “Only the moon” “The Shroud” “Study of a Millionairess: Still Life” “Summer Guide” “The Judge” “Marriage” “An Address” “Coming In”
4.
Robert Yeo ....................................................................................................... 198 “Malacca Grandmother” “Out of Changi”
5.
Goh Poh Seng ................................................................................................. 202 “Singapore” “Thinking of the Poet Tu Fu” “Exile in a Cold Land” “From Earth” From If We Dream Too Long — Chapters 4, 5, 16 and 17
169
Ch-Intro (167-181) 169
6/19/09 10:43:04 PM
170 Writing ContentsSingapore
6.
Arthur Yap ....................................................................................................... 222 “only lines” “it rains today” “old house at ang siang hill” “banyan tree” “there is no future in nostalgia” “everything’s coming up numbers” “group dynamics II” “statement” “fiscal ear” “2 mothers in a h d b playground”
7.
Lloyd Fernando ................................................................................................ 234 From Scorpion Orchid — Chapters 1 and 14
8.
Edwin Thumboo .............................................................................................. 246 “Conformity” “Colour” “The Exile” “Gods Can Die” “Ulysses by the Merlion” “Orchard Road” “Renovation” “Visitor from Galilee”
9.
Catherine Lim .................................................................................................. 259 “The Taximan’s Story” “The English Language Teacher’s Secret”
10. Lee Tzu Pheng ................................................................................................. 273 “New Year’s Morning” “Bukit Timah, Singapore” “Nightpiece” “My Country and My People” “Composition” “Mad Woman Story” “Once Upon a Time” “Bus Ticket Poem” 11. Leong Liew Geok............................................................................................. 284 “Exiles Return” “Farewell to Sumana” “Forever Singlish”
Ch-Intro (167-181) 170
6/19/09 10:43:04 PM
Introduction Contents 171
12. Kuo Pao Kun ................................................................................................... 290 The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole 13. Stella Kon ........................................................................................................ 297 Emily of Emerald Hill 14. Kirpal Singh ..................................................................................................... 327 “They Told Us” “Walking Down the Streets” 15. Gopal Baratham ............................................................................................... 329 “Welcome” “Wedding Night” 16. Rex Shelley ....................................................................................................... 340 From The Shrimp People — Prologue, Chapter 2: “The Rodrigues”
Ch-Intro (167-181) 171
6/19/09 10:43:04 PM
Introduction
353
SECTION 3
1990–present
Ch-Intro (353-379) 353
6/19/09 10:47:52 PM
Introduction
355
Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................ 359 1.
Simon Tay ........................................................................................................ 380 “Exiles”
2.
Suchen Christine Lim ...................................................................................... 390 From Fistful of Colours
3.
Ovidia Yu ......................................................................................................... 400 Three Fat Virgins Unassembled
4.
Johann S. Lee ................................................................................................... 428 From Peculiar Chris
5.
Boey Kim Cheng ............................................................................................. 437 “In Transit” “Another Place” “Placenames” “Plum Blossom or Quong Tart at the QVB” “Stamp Collecting”
6.
Koh Buck Song ................................................................................................ 447 “High Rise” “Close Quarters, Chinatown” “Ah Por” “Treasures of the Deep”
7.
Claire Tham ..................................................................................................... 452 “The Forerunner”
8.
Philip Jeyaretnam ............................................................................................. 463 From Abraham’s Promise
9.
Tan Mei Ching ................................................................................................ 468 “The Running Game”
10. Eleanor Wong .................................................................................................. 473 Wills and Secession 355
Ch-Intro (353-379) 355
6/19/09 10:47:54 PM
356 Writing ContentsSingapore
11. Dave Chua ....................................................................................................... 511 From Gone Case 12. Patricia Wong................................................................................................... 518 “To Robinson’s” 13. Grace Chia ....................................................................................................... 524 “Starfruit” 14. Alfian Sa’at ....................................................................................................... 525 “Trawlers” “Singapore You Are Not My Country” “Minority Report” “Apathy” “Video” 15. Felix Cheong .................................................................................................... 545 “Work in Progress” “leaving” “faqs” 16. Colin Cheong .................................................................................................. 548 From The Man in the Cupboard 17. Daren Shiau ..................................................................................................... 553 From Heartland “How to Fly the Singapore Flag” 18. Lydia Kwa ........................................................................................................ 564 From This Place Called Absence 19. Yen Chung ....................................................................................................... 572 From Clarence Play the Numbers 20. Hwee Hwee Tan .............................................................................................. 580 From Mammon Inc. 21. Toh Hsien Min ................................................................................................ 588 “Malaise” “Recovery” 22. Cyril Wong ...................................................................................................... 591 “calm embrace of bone” “because it is wrong, so it is wrong” “revelation”
Ch-Intro (353-379) 356
6/19/09 10:47:54 PM
Introduction Contents 357
“practical” “the neighbour” 23. Fiona Cheong .................................................................................................. 598 From Shadow Theatre: A Novel 24. Alvin Pang........................................................................................................ 606 “Upgrading” “Following a Train of Thought on the MRT” “Merlign” 25. Madeleine Lee .................................................................................................. 611 “raintree 2” “december” 26. Vyvyane Loh .................................................................................................... 614 From Breaking the Tongue 27. Aaron Maniam ................................................................................................. 625 “moth, caught in a room” “solat” 28. Yong Shu Hoong ............................................................................................. 627 “Bridges” “Guilt Trip” 29. Paul Tan ........................................................................................................... 629 “Perspectives” “Monsoon” “Sometimes” 30. Ng Yi-Sheng .................................................................................................... 633 “Crystal Pear” “Equidistance” 31. Aaron Lee......................................................................................................... 635 “City Beat” “Scene on the North-East Line” 32. Haresh Sharma ................................................................................................. 638 Good People 33. Wena Poon....................................................................................................... 669 “Mrs Chan’s Wedding Day”
Ch-Intro (353-379) 357
6/19/09 10:47:54 PM
