Sunday, November 07, 2021

At the National Gallery Singapore #2

When COVID-19 restrictions were lifted for libraries and museums, I went to visit the National Gallery Singapore recently. An art museum that opened on November 2015 and located in the Downtown Core of Singapore, it oversees the world's largest public collection of modern Singapore and Southeast Asian art, consisting of about 9,000 artworks.

This was the third time back but there is always never enough time to see them all. I only went to one exhibition there, titled, Something New Must Turn Up: Six Singaporean Artists After 1965. And yes, some of the artworks inspired me to write some poetry on them.

I did a series and they are over at my other blog, i write too. I have chosen a few to showcase here.

If you want to see the whole lot, 7 of them, please click this link.



At the National Gallery Singapore #2


#11

photo by dsnake1


love poem on the 7th day of the 7th month

the moon
sliding onto
a tall branch
is trying
to get into your room


14/08/2021
**********

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#13

photo by dsnake1


checker board of fields under the sun


looking out of the train
at the rice fields of Japan.

oh, just a dream...


24/09/2021
**********

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#17

photo by dsnake1


when insomnia whispers into your ears


let the night die for a moment
hear the whirl of the ceiling fan
let the air run over your sweat
like snakes slithering on sand.


18/09/2021
**********




"...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?”

-- Vincent van Gogh






© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2021

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22 Comments:

Blogger  said...

Oh, this is gorgeous:
“the moon
sliding onto
a tall branch
is trying
to get into your room”

“let the air run over your sweat
like snakes slithering on sand”
Genius.

This is why I love micro. These are my favorite kinds of poems.

07 November, 2021 01:05  
Blogger Magaly Guerrero said...

I love, love, LOVE this selection. Number 11 brings to mind the style of Yosano Akiko, her tanka in particular; the sense of adventure in her poems always leave me picturing what comes next, this one does the same.

07 November, 2021 01:44  
Blogger Jim said...

Yes,
DS,
I like the
first and last best.
The first because
so much said
so few
words.
The last
'cause I love
Syllabic form.
..

07 November, 2021 02:14  
Blogger Jim said...

BTW, I hope to visit Singapore soon. Our daughter comes now and then for a week or two for her work. She is working on London now, hubby came this weekend for them a play week. Our turn next, we haven't been since 2015.
..

07 November, 2021 02:20  
Blogger Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

These are lovely! And make me see the art works through your eyes. I enjoyed the rest too, at your other blog. (How could I resist having a peek?)

07 November, 2021 04:14  
Blogger Helen said...

Wonderful poetry!! My favorite is the “Insomnia” ~~~

07 November, 2021 04:19  
Blogger dsnake1 said...



micropoetry is fun, sweet, and made for the internet. :)


Magaly,

Thank you for pointing me to Yosano Akiko. I do not know of this Japanese writer and will probably do some research on her.
#11 is actually written on the 7th day of the 7th month in the Chinese calendar, also sometimes known as the Chinese Valentine's day. In Chinese folklore, the cowherd and the weaver meet once a year on this day on a bridge of flying magpies, and then they are back to become stars in the Milky Way.

07 November, 2021 11:32  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Jim,

Thank you!
I like #17 for the way the words run over the tongue.

Singapore is a good place to visit (it is such a small country, but there are still many attractions, and you must try the local food). At the moment our COVID infection rates are still high, but vaccinated travelers enjoy quarantine-free travel between Singapore and USA. :)

07 November, 2021 11:50  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Rosemary,

Thank you!
glad you enjoyed the rest at my other blog. These are artworks by artists after our independence.


Helen,

Thank you!
I like that poem too. :)

07 November, 2021 12:09  
Blogger Khaya Ronkainen said...

I like your visual art-inspired poems or pairings, a LOT. Museums are a treasure, and visiting them inspires me too. Thank you for sharing your museum visit and the introduction to your local artist. I hope to visit Singapore, one day.:)

07 November, 2021 18:16  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Thank you, Khaya!

Yes, museums are a treasure, and certainly places of inspiration. For a small country like us, there are surprisingly, many museums to visit.
I hope you can visit Singapore one day. :)

07 November, 2021 19:38  
Blogger Joel (@Stranded Tree) said...

each gives a tiny glimpse of the landscapes: I imagine the moon breaking into a darkened room to illuminate it, the rice stalks flashing by in a blur, and for the many times of lying awake trying to feel the sleep (now I will always imagine snakes)

07 November, 2021 22:06  
Blogger Gillena Cox said...

Wow whst a sharing. I luv how you gave the moon a determined personality.

Thanks for dropping by my blog

Much💛love

07 November, 2021 23:08  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Joel,

Thank you!
sorry about the snakes. :D


Gillena,

Thank you!
i liked how you said about the moon being 'determined'. :)

07 November, 2021 23:43  
Anonymous Thotpurge said...

Love how museum visits are spawning poetry.. can't wait to do that soon! Loved this selection.

08 November, 2021 10:58  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Thotpurge,

you should have no problems with that. :)

08 November, 2021 13:19  
Blogger phillip woodruff (jalopy dreams) said...

"the moon
sliding onto
a tall branch
is trying
to get into your room"

yes! thats awesome, i love your interpretation of the painting, and that painting is fantastic, so well done my friend!

09 November, 2021 11:54  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Thank you, Phillip.
Taken together with the title, i think it is a pretty good interpretation of the painting. :)

09 November, 2021 14:05  
Blogger Rajani Rehana said...

Super blog

10 November, 2021 23:09  
Blogger ashok said...

Good to hear things getting better.Have a wonderful weekend

13 November, 2021 18:01  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Thank you, Ashok!
Just trying to get life back to "normal" as soon as possible. :)

13 November, 2021 18:48  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Rajani,
Thanks for the visit! :)

19 November, 2021 21:22  

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