Poet Boey Kim Cheng at 60: ‘You learn to love what you have lost'
SINGAPORE – When it comes to chronicling urban change and memory in verse, poet Boey Kim Cheng is peerless in Singapore.
Even after emigrating from Singapore in 1997, Boey – who has made a home in Berowra, New South Wales in Australia – continues to write about the vexed knot of a vanishing Singapore. He was born on June 10, 1965.
His most
recent collection, The Singer And Other Poems (2022), won the
Kenneth Slessor Prize For Poetry at the New South Wales (NSW) Premier's Literary Awards in 2023.
His books, Another Place (1992) and Clear Brightness (2012), have been texts for the GCE A-level literature syllabus.
In a poem titled No More, Boey writes: 'No more / coming home as to a death sentence. / No more leaving after this leaving.'
Can you share more about your childhood photo?
The baby photo might have been taken in my mother's friend's house in Dakota Crescent. We moved a lot in those days, so I can't be sure.
A first-year baby photograph of poet Boey Kim Cheng.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF BOEY KIM CHENG
What is your core memory of Singapore?
There is no core memory, but a collage or montage of still or moving images. Walking through Change Alley and the Arcade, savouring the smells, sounds and sights. Sitting on the steps of Clifford Pier and watching the bumboats in the harbour. Reading on the lawn in the Botanic Gardens. Playing in the abandoned British Army barracks in Depot Road and along the railway tracks nearby. Taking the night train to Kuala Lumpur from Tanjong Pagar Station.
What do you consider your biggest contribution to Singapore?
I don't like to make any claims about my work. I started writing mostly to make sense of what was happening or had happened to me, and my first real poems were about my army experiences, trying to salvage something from the 2 ½ years soldiering. I think it was the first time the army found a place in Singapore poetry.
There weren't that many poets starting out at that time and not much support in the form of writing grants and programmes, so it was mostly a solitary journey. But I was lucky Singaporean poet and Cultural Medallion recipient Lee Tzu Pheng was my tutor at the National University of Singapore and recommended me to Times Publishing Group.
Later, I was also very fortunate that Another Place and Clear Brightness became GCE A-level texts, especially after I had emigrated to Australia. I suppose my poems mapped a vanished Singapore and a journey of self-discovery that spoke to Singapore readers.
Clear Brightness by Boey Kim Cheng.
PHOTO: EPIGRAM BOOKS
What do you love and hate about the country?
You learn to love what you have lost. The Singapore of my past and memory. The old, vanished places and whatever traces are left of them. The multicultural mix, the distinct ethnic quarters – Little India, Chinatown, Arab Street and the old buildings, the old places.
In middle age, you learn to let go and not hate even things that upset you before, like the constant tear-down and rebuilding in Singapore, the frantic pace of life and change, the disappearance of old buildings and places.
What is one thing you miss about the Singapore of your childhood?
The open spaces, the lallang fields, the buildings and life on the Singapore River, the smell of the river and the harbour, the sense of adventure I got walking in Orchard Road when the only tall buildings in sight were Mandarin and Cockpit hotels.
A photo of a young Boey Kim Cheng.
PHOTO: ST FILE
What is the best and worst thing about being 60?
You learn to slow down, step away and look back and be grateful for the beautiful moments and even the difficult experiences that have led you to the threshold of old age. You are grateful for each good day you have. The worst thing is the deaths of parents and friends.
SG60's theme is Building Our Singapore Together. What would you like the Singapore of the future to look like?
I hope the country will step up its conservation efforts, and the few places that have survived demolition, redevelopment and makeover in the years since independence will be there for future generations to connect with.
And what does your next era look like?
Not sure. It's another journey ahead, and as with most journeys that have led me to where I am, it's better not to plan too far ahead and just take it step by step, day by day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
a day ago
- AsiaOne
Gossip mill: Lina Ng's son accepted to NUS medicine, Ann Hsu and Roy Chiu welcome 1st baby, J-idol Kenshin Kamimura convicted of indecent assault
Local actress Lina Ng was all smiles in her Instagram post today (Aug 15). The 51-year-old, who has three sons with husband Mike Lam, posted family photos of their second child, 19-year-old Joel, who has been accepted into National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. In a separate video, Lina shared it was once her "childhood dream" to be a doctor. "For a few precious minutes, he (Joel) made my dream come true. So sweet of him," she wrote in the caption. In the clip, Joel handed Lam his flower bouquet and put his doctor's coat on Lina. "Always wanted to be a doctor but it never came to pass… I've never been a doctor in any of my shows either," she said to the camera before the three posed for a photo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lina Ng 黄嫊方 (@linang56) The couple also have Jeriel, 21, and Samuel, 14. The NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine was ranked 17th among the world's top 20 medical schools in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2025. The school held their white coat ceremony yesterday, a ceremony that marks students' transition to medical studies. Ann Hsu and Roy Chiu welcome 1st baby Taiwanese celebrity couple Ann Hsu and Roy Chiu have welcomed their first baby. Ann, who turned 41 on Aug 7, broke the news on Instagram yesterday with a photo of their hands and the baby's foot, with a caption saying they are all well. According to media reports, the two actors recently distributed baby full-month gifts to loved ones, with the card indicating the child's name as Ian. [embed] Ann and Roy, 43, were co-stars in the 2021 Taiwanese movie Man in Love, and amid rumours of their reel-to-real romance, they announced their marriage in December that year. J-idol Kenshin Kamimura convicted of indecent assault Japanese idol-actor Kenshin Kamimura has been convicted of sexual assault. The former member of pop group One N' Only was found guilty by West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Aug 13 for molesting a 27-year-old female interpreter at a March celebration banquet after a fan-meet in Hong Kong. According to media reports, Kenshin, 26, allegedly touched the woman's thigh repeatedly and also invited her to the bathroom. Kenshin was issued a HK$15,000 (S$2,500) fine. According to South China Morning Post, judge Peter Yu said: "Some people may feel the defendant's acts were very trivial. There were even opinions accusing the victim of making a fuss about nothing. I don't agree. "The defendant's acts were clearly disrespectful of women. They deserve condemnation because they violated Hong Kong law." Kenshin rose to fame after starring in the hit boys' love series Our Youth (2024-2025). He was dropped from One N' Only when he was detained by the police, with their agency Stardust Promotion citing a "serious compliance violation". [[nid:721300]] syarifahsn@
New Paper
4 days ago
- New Paper
'A silent supporter': Couple honours NUS drink stall owner in pre-wedding shoot
While most couples pose for pre-wedding photos against a backdrop of dreamy flower fields and romantic sunsets, 25-year-old Denise Tan and Calvin Lim, 27, went down a different road - a drink and snack stall tucked away in a corner of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. Surrounded by shelves filled with old-school snacks and refrigerated fruit cups, the couple snapped their shots at the popular stall known as Cool Spot. While it is not unusual for couples to take wedding photos at their alma mater, there was a special someone that Ms Tan and Mr Lim wanted to include: Burmese stall owner Aung Nyein Kyaw, 36, an enduring presence in the school affectionately known as "Bro". The man with the amazing memory Speaking to The New Paper, Ms Tan recalled fond memories of interactions with Bro, who formed a friendship with the pair when they were both first-year students. After meeting her husband in the NUS Bizad Club, the canteen became a place they frequented for the affordable snacks as it was conveniently located near the lecture theatres. Somehow, Mr Aung Nyein Kyaw remembered her go-to order, an ice-cold miloccino - a blend of milo and cappuccino - from the very first time she placed the order during orientation camp. "I'm always in awe at his amazing memory because he always seems to remember our orders." His uncanny memory came through once again when Ms Tan returned to the stall after a six-month internship. It was also her last day in NUS as a student. "He gave me a free cup of miloccino and a cup of pears while I was rushing my last assignment," she said. It was with these fond memories in mind that the couple returned to the stall in their suit and wedding gown, to celebrate the happy moment with the Cool Spot owner. "We wanted to go back to NUS business school as that's where we met, and of course, we had to take photos with him at the stall since it's our happy place to take a break from mundane classes and assignments," Ms Tan explained. Standing proudly behind them, Mr Aung Nyein Kyaw smiled for the camera as the couple celebrated their five-year journey from friendship to marriage. "Bro just looked so proud of us, it was a super cute memory," Ms Tan said. 'I'm just happy to be serving them' "Everyone calls me 'Bro' because I feel that makes us closer," Mr Aung Nyein Kyaw, who has worked at the stall for more than a decade, told TNP. "The students are like brothers and sisters to me." Asked how he remembers everyone's order, he replied earnestly: "I respect and value everyone, so I always think about what is best for them to drink, and when." "When they graduate, they often come to say thank you, and goodbye. It's sad, but I'm just happy to be serving them," said the stall owner, who has been in Singapore for 13 years. 'Like a pastor officiating the marriage' When Ms Tan shared the happy moment on her Instagram page, comments flooded in, congratulating the couple and affirming Mr Aung Nyein Kyaw's bond with students over the years. One user commented: "The way the owner was standing between you guys is so cute - like a pastor officiating the marriage." Another testified to his endearing service to students, heartened by his attentiveness and sincerity to every customer. "I love him! He's a pillar in NUS and remembers everyone's order. I showed up with glasses and a new hairstyle, but he still knew my order - kopi o kosong peng." Stall owner continues to warm hearts Now working as an account manager, Ms Tan looks back on her encounters with Mr Aung Nyein Kyaw with gratitude, as she relayed a heartfelt message to the stall owner: "From remembering our usual orders to always greeting us with a smile, your small gestures meant more than you know." "You were like a silent supporter - always there in the background, making our days in school a little better," she added. "Continue 'slayin' and keep brightening the lives of other students, just like you did ours!"
Straits Times
06-08-2025
- Straits Times
Playwright Haresh Sharma at 60: ‘I love that most Singaporeans will offer unsolicited advice'
SINGAPORE – In the more than 130 plays he has written so far, playwright Haresh Sharma has cast his astute eye over a staggering range of social issues, from mental illness and interracial relations to the pressures of the education system and queer ageing. Born on Jan 18, 1965, the writer is a three-time winner for Best Original Script at The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards, and his play Off Centre (1993) was the first Singaporean play to be offered as a GCE O- and N-level literature text. He was conferred the Cultural Medallion in 2015. Sharma, who has been resident playwright of The Necessary Stage (TNS) since 1990, received an honorary doctor of arts by Bath Spa University in July 2025 for 'giving voice to the everyday, the marginalised and the unseen'. He will be directing an SG60 triple-bill of plays under the title of SG Insecure, which will be staged by TNS from Oct 29 to Nov 8. Can you share more about your childhood photo? I don't have a first-year baby picture. I'm the youngest of four children. By the time I was born, my parents didn't bother taking out the camera. So, there's no obligatory picture of me sitting on the round rattan chair or lying face down on the dining table. I knew I was the cutest child, so it didn't matter. An early photograph of playwright Haresh Sharma and his mother. PHOTO: COURTESY OF HARESH SHARMA What is your core memory of Singapore? I don't think I have one significant core memory of Singapore. Like any relationship, it goes through phases. One of my earliest core memories was of National Day. We lived in Marine Parade, facing the sea, and our neighbour's flat faced the city. So, on National Day, we would run from house to house trying to get the best views of the planes, helicopters and fireworks. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Asean's quiet diplomacy helped avert escalation in Cambodia-Thailand border conflict: Sec-Gen Kao Singapore Hidden vapes and where to find them: Inside ICA's clampdown at land checkpoints Singapore East-West Line MRT service resumes after delays lasting around 5 hours; track point fault fixed World Meta cracks down on WhatsApp scammers; bans millions of accounts linked to scam centres in S-E Asia Singapore 3 men arrested over alleged offences involving drugs worth over $150,000 Singapore Jail for 2 friends who swopped seats in car to try and evade justice after drinking alcohol Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties The ease and comfort of being able to just enter a neighbour's house is a cherished memory. I don't think people do that any more. We have to text first before we call someone. There's no way we're going to walk into a neighbour's house unannounced. Haresh Sharma, resident playwright of The Necessary Stage, and artistic director Alvin Tan at the Marine Parade Community Complex. PHOTO: ST FILE What do you consider your biggest contribution to Singapore? The fact that I have written 130 plays over the past 36 years. Every play represents a kind of time capsule, capturing moments and aspects of Singapore life and characters. There were so many stories in the past that weren't written about, and many more in the present that need to be represented in our plays. These creative and dramatic expressions tell the stories of a Singapore we might otherwise not get to see or know about. That and my play Off Centre being the first Singapore play to be selected as a GCE O- and N-level text. Ebi Shankara (left) and Siti Khalijah Zainal in the revival of Off Centre by Haresh Sharma. It became the first Singaporean play to be offered as a GCE O- and N-level literature text. PHOTO: TUCKYS PHOTOGRAPHY What do you love and hate about the country? I love that most Singaporeans will offer unsolicited advice about housing, Central Provident Fund and investments, as well as medical care, especially TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) doctors. I love that the HDB lift is a travelling box of prying questions such as 'you from where?', 'how long you stay here?' and 'you not working today?'. I hate that no public place is safe from people cutting their nails. What is one thing you miss about the Singapore of your childhood? I don't know if it's the Singapore I miss or my childhood, but back then, a treat was a big deal – having a popsicle or eating out or even going to Orchard Road. The Singapore of the 1970s was a time of transition, where we could still play with firecrackers, take a trishaw to school and wait for the epok-epok seller to come to your floor. What is the best and worst thing about being 60? Is there a best thing? Please let me know! A poster for the play Gemuk Girls, written by Haresh Sharma. PHOTO: THE NECESSARY STAGE SG60's theme is Building Our Singapore Together. What would you like the Singapore of the future to look like? Hey, future Singapore! Please be kinder. Don't be so judgmental as if you've got it all together. No one's perfect. Let people be. Be who they want to be. Say what they want to say. Stop being such a control freak! Let it go. Unclench your jaw, Singapore. Nobody needs to COUNT. ON. YOU. Just breathe. And stop with the building! You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Be your authentic self. Take a self-care day, or decade. And what does your next era look like? I'm still in my BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement) era. I'm boycotting brands and divesting from the Empire. It's the era of standing up for what is right, of calling out war crimes and genocide. Next, I might go into my decolonial era. I want to free myself from the shackles of imperialist power structures. In this era, I can see through the propaganda fed to the world daily. And I reject it.
