by Amanda Kee
Earlier this semester, the University Scholars Program (USP) had invited a young Singaporean poet, Jason Wee, for a public reading session, in which he shared his thought processes and motivations for publishing his debut poetry collection, The Monster Between Us.
As an English Literature student, I was very curious of the mechanics and the heart that are put into writing poetry. Very often, we (more specifically, readers and literary analysts wannabes) sit at the opposite end of the table and analyze or critique a poet’s work, instead of putting ourselves in the poet’s shoes to look at the poem through his/her eyes. Therefore, I saw this session as a wonderful opportunity to critically appreciate poetry a little better.
Throughout the semester, I had gone for a couple of public literary events. Yet, I have come to realize that you do not have to search far to find something that strikes a chord in you. In fact, it can be the things that are closer to home that move you the most. This small reading session was one that stood out the most for me. Perhaps it was due to the more intimate setting that made me remember the event starkly. But, I felt that there was something really humbling and worthwhile in Jason’s poetry that I wish to share with everyone who reads this post. Lewis Hyde says in his book, The Gift, that art is a gift worth sharing. Hence, I see it as my pleasure and responsibility to sincerely share with you my experiences and learning outcomes that I have gained through Jason’s poetic gift. I hope, then, that you will be inspired to experience and continue spreading this gift by picking up his collection.
When Jason stepped into the room, I remembered doing a quick eyebrow raise when I saw his (should I say, unique?) appearance. Clad in suspenders and a singlet, while sporting a trendy hairstyle that resembled my 16 year-old brother’s, I was immediately intrigued by this stranger. I want to be very honest with my thoughts here because I think his appearance makes a part of our poet’s identity. What made me warm up to him, however, was his sincerity and humility. I had the stereotypical perception that artists were often loudly passionate, but Jason’s gentleness and slight nervous signs made me earnestly open my mind and ears to him. They are qualities that are refreshing to experience.
One of the poems that Jason read to us was entitled, “1986” (there are actually 2 poems under this title. I am talking about the 2nd one), which was inspired by an experience he had as a child after watching the news on Operation Spectrum, also known as the “Marxist Conspiracy”. If I recall what Jason recounted to us correctly, he had asked his relatives what the news meant, but they merely “sshed” him. It is intriguing to me that he retains this sort of memories that others may simply forget in time. It dawned on me that these recurrent thoughts that we pass along from childhood to adulthood are something intimately human and vulnerable. Jason is one person I know who is willing to take a step back, think of what these thoughts really mean to him and express them eloquently in a way that still retains all the emotions of the experience.
I felt that his poetry was a way for him to express the confusion that he experienced in his childhood and find a way to reconcile the unanswered thoughts that he had suppressed unconsciously. As these thoughts came back to him again as he mature, Jason said that he felt that it was a right time to explore them again. I saw his poetry as a form of recovery that represents a personal journey towards a kind of truth. I think writing the poem had helped lay out his recurring thoughts and decode them by re-experiencing and delving deeper into the history of Operation Spectrum. In this way, he re-worked these familiar and not-so-familiar thoughts and findings through poetry and realised that even at the completion of his collection, he was far from finished in this journey. He had more questions to ponder over and more to answer to when people asked him why he was particularly interested in this part of Singapore’s history and how he was even related to it. Therefore, I think, rather than merely finding a kind of reconciliation, poetry actually led him on to unexpected paths.
I think that in writing this poem (the whole collection of poems, in fact) was an act of bravery. He had taken a part of Singapore’s history and developed a sense of ownership around it, wishing, in his own way to do justice to what has past. It reminded me of an article, “Tradition and Individual Talent” by T.S. Eliot, which I had recently read. Eliot felt that a good poet does not merely does art with a limited understanding of his own generation, but also combines the past and the present under one simultaneous existence. I think it makes me see how Jason is acutely aware of his place in time (present and past) and is continuously developing this sense of consciousness as he moves along his career as a poet.
This conclusion I came to was reinforced when he brought up an idea that he had for USP. He wanted to invite students to work with him on an artistic endeavor by using a copy of The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew as a platform for us to write our own poetry. Of course, we were all very confused. What does that mean? What was his purpose? I remembered Jason just responding in this manner, “I think it will be fun to see where this goes”. I am glad he did not give a very definite answer, because then, I could draw deeper and more memorable conclusions for myself (I went on to participate in this workshop and discovered more of myself through this process of writing). After the reading session, I could catch a glimpse of the deep well of brilliance and generosity in Jason’s mind and heart and I am thankful for this opportunity to have been able to interact with him.
More importantly, however, I think that Jason had hoped to share with us ways to expand our boundaries as a creative, thinking human. He is very aware of the individual’s capacity to shape society and I suppose that, for him, he wants to reclaim a bigger and more truthful representation of the past that will shape the state of society in the present and in the future.
Returning to his simple statement, “I think it will be fun to see where this goes”, I realized that his easy-going nature made me think of how rare it is for most of us to slow down, think, appreciate the small and immaterial things and create something that expresses our gratitude for life.
This reflection made me think of a recent article I read by Lim Thean Soo, “Why Study Literature?” I definitely agreed with Lim’s thoughts, especially the phrases that say that literature is “a record of an experience”… “that broadens our outlook of life”. While it is undeniable that literature does offer us a sharp sense of awareness, I think it also makes us happier but sadder beings, more fulfilled yet still unfulfilled people. I am not sure how else to explain these conflicting feelings. But, I think it is worth finding out how to negotiate these feelings on our own. This search for a higher truth and beauty, I think, is what makes life so much more meaningful and worthy.
As a promising poet in Singapore, Jason gave me a glimpse of this beautiful light shining within him. I hope that he continues his search for truth and shape our society in his own unique way.