3 Must-Read Boey Kim Cheng Poems

Boey Kim Cheng is a Singaporean-Australian poet who won the National University of Singapore Poetry Writing/Creative Prose Competition when he was a student. He also received the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award for his highly regarded work. Some, consider him the best poet Singapore has produced.

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Reservist

‘Reservist’ describes the repetitive nature of war and the preparations that go into arming reserve soldiers and preparing them for battle.

Boey Kim Cheng's poem showcases a unique perspective on the human experience. Through his words, he explores themes of time, duty, and the cyclical nature of life. His use of language and evocative metaphors invites readers to ponder the complexities of existence. Cheng's poetry, generally, is marked by introspection and a deep sense of observation, as is seen in this poem, allowing readers to glimpse into the poet's inner world and contemplate their own place in the universe.

Time again for the annual joust, the regular fanfare,

a call to arms, the imperative letters stern

as clarion notes, the king's command, upon

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The Planners

‘The Planners’ by Boey Kim Cheng is a powerful poem about the way that development and the creation of new infrastructure makes the world a less interesting place to live in.

‘The Planners’ is an exemplary piece that showcases the themes that Boey Kim Cheng wrote about in his earlier collections. It was published in Another Place in 1992 and this poem is about how urbanization leads to the gradual deletion of history as well as natural degradation.

But my heart would not bleed

poetry. Not a single drop

to stain the blueprint

of our past's tomorrow.

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Report to Wordsworth

‘Report to Wordsworth’ by Boey Kim Cheng is a powerful poem about the changes that have come over the world since Wordsworth’s time.

This poem is a wonderful example of Cheng's verse. It's incredibly inspiring and moving in its depiction of the planet's current state. He writes compellingly about the ways that humanity has harmed the world and uses memorable metaphors to indicate how deep this damage goes.

You should be here, Nature has need of you.

She has been laid waste. Smothered by the smog,

the flowers are mute, and the birds are few

in a sky slowing like a dying clock.

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3 Must-Read Boey Kim Cheng Poems

Reservist

The Planners

Report to Wordsworth

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