6 Dec 06 What IS Singapore writing? An Interview with Cyril & Shu Hoong By kabetha The Singapore Literature Prize is a biennial competition to promote Singapore literary talent and to stimulate public interest and support for creative writing in Singapore. Previous winners in the English language category include Roger Jenkins (1995, From the Belly of the Carp and Tan Hwee Hwee (2004, Mammon Inc.). I had always thought of poets as floppy-fringed, misty-eyed, paper and quill carrying dudes, who spoke in metaphors, wore Birkenstock sandals and frolicked amongst flowers in the gardens. This idea quickly dissipated when I met Yong Shu Hoong and Cyril Wong, this year's joint winners of the Singapore Literature Prize. The Prize was awarded for Cyril’s unmarked treasure and Shu Hoong’s Frottage. Cyril has ventured into many areas of the arts. He was music director for World-In-Theatre's The Gospel According To Mark, has sung with a music group, and has acted on stage. He is, however, best known for his poetry. He has released five collections of poetry to date: squatting quietly, the end of his orbit, below: absence, unmarked treasure and like a seed with its singular purpose. Shu Hoong made his debut with Isaac (1997), which was re-released as Isaac Revisited in 2001. His poetry can be found in several publications, including No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry, The Singapore-Philippines Anthology of Love Poetry and Zouk the Book. His writing has also appeared in various print media and websites, including The Straits Times, The South China Morning Post and MTVasia.com. What got you started with poetry? Shu Hoong (“SH”): I started writing poetry when I was doing my Computer Science degree at NUS. At that time, before the advent of the Internet, we had a campus-wide network connecting all the computer terminals in various faculties, and we used to log in to view postings in an electronic bulletin board, which is like the online discussion forums we get on the Internet now. Because it was so easy to get "published", I started to post the poems I had composed to the bulletin board. They were more like silly love songs, with lots of rhymes that sounded more than bad song lyrics than poetry. I'd have to say that my first "real" poem (Away from Home) was created when I was doing my MBA at Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas, USA. That was in the year 1992, and I guess being away from home in a distant land for 1.5 years had conjured up various emotions which I found poetry to be a good vehicle to channel outwards. Cyril (“C”): Boredom and loneliness. When and where do you write your best? SH: People can be both an inspiration and, more often, a distraction. I write well when I'm alone – preferably while I'm travelling, far away from all the work and bustle associated with Singapore. Because I live alone, so now I can try to create the right atmosphere at home - in the bedroom or in the study. I have a bottle of port and lots of candles just in case. But sometimes it's hard to say when inspiration will strike. It's always good to have a notepad ready, whether in your knapsack when you're on the bus, train or plane, or just some scraps of paper by the side of the bed. C: Anywhere, anytime. Who are your favourite writers? Do they influence your work in any way? SH: My favourite poet is Jack Gilbert, who hails from the city of Pittsburgh in the US. I read a poem of his, Trying To Have Something Left Over, in a magazine like Esquire or GQ while on a plane, and was instantly blown away. I soon got hold of his book, The Great Fires, which I still turn to from time to time, like some dog-earred magazines, to get myself excited over and over again. I guess I share the same prose-like quality and narrative structure of his poems. I like poems that are textured and at different levels are accessible, evocative and nuanced at the same time. I also enjoy reading poems by Michael Ondaatje, Edward Hirsch, Gunter Grass and Carl Sandburg. C: Louise Gluck and Raymond Carver. They create realities that ring with truth and lived experience. They make me want to write as successfully in conveying such resonances. What kind of an impact do you hope your poetry has on people? SH: I hope people take something with them - be it a feeling or a lingering afterthought - after they have read my poems. They can feel happy or sad after reading my poems, it doesn't matter. As long as the poetry moves them in some ways, or if they are already moving, stop them in their tracks. C: I don't really care. How do you feel about the drop in the number of students who pursue English Literature? SH: I think I only did O-level literature. Other than that, no other formal literature training. I guess the drop in students in pursuing literature is due to practical reasons, eg. preferring to take subjects that are easier to score "A" for. I think the real solution is to cultivate an appreciation for literature beyond exam considerations. Sure, if a student is saddled with paper chase now, he will not have time to think about literature. But if somehow the seeds are sown - through an inspiring teacher, a talk by a visiting poet, or other innovative presentations of literature - years later, even when the student has gone into the army or into the working world, there'll always be a part of his heart that can be awakened to the finer things in life. C: I don't feel anything. People make their own choices, whether these choices enrich their lives or not. Fire teachers who make poetry sound like a chore to study. Or change the syllabus to include contemporary poetry. According to a CNN report, there is a long way to go before any of our writers are internationally recognized. What are your views on that statement? SH: Winning prestigious awards is of course the fast track to worldwide popularity. I think we can strive to be world-class in terms of writing skills and craft. Whether we become internationally recognised involves many factors, whether it's through the effort of the individual writer or the publisher or the agent. Sometimes, a little luck is required. Sometimes, it depends on what the writer himself wants and considers important, and whether he works towards a particular goal. I think most of the best writers in the world write because they enjoy writing; as a side effect, they become famous and win awards. When that happens, it probably matters more to the publishers. C: The people you mentioned are not poets. Even for the Nobel prize, there are few poet-winners. And have you forgotten Hwee Hwee Tan? And Catherine Lim is more widely read than you know. "Too many of our local works, though well written, do not exude the Singapore breath and breadth of life. They could be works produced of any place. Except for the names of the characters and a sprinkling of Singlish, they are almost un-identifiable in that respect.” - David Yeo, CNA, Analysis news. Do you agree with this statement? SH: A statement like that exacts an unnecessary burden on the craft and joy of writing. What is Singapore writing? Can there be only one way to write, so that people can identify it as coming from a Singapore author? And by whose standards? If inserting Singlish, which is supposedly uniquely Singaporean, doesn't do the trick, then what more can be done? In the end, does it all matter? Sometimes, the most suitable answers are even more questions. I think whether I've found my voice, it should be the readers making that judgement. I think, with the release of each book, I've found a style that I'm comfortable with, but at the same time, I am constantly progressing, I hope, in a direction that refreshes and surprises. C: Yes, they will see it as MY work, but they might not be able to tell that I am Singaporean. I don't care if I don't sound Singaporean, whatever that means. What, in your opinion, makes a poet? SH: This question is really too vague to answer. I can write an entire book on the topic, or just simply say, "A poet is one who sifts images and feelings from life, transcribing them into another kind of beauty that only the strictest discipline of words can invent." C: Passion, compassion, humility, wisdom, and yes, a good ear and eye for language and metaphors. How do feel being named co-winners of the Singapore Literature Prize? SH: If money is the most important thing in the world, I'll feel like a disgruntled lottery winner having to share the jackpot with 9 other winners. It is an honour to be named a winner regardless, knowing that someone out there feels that the work you produced is worth the hassle of sending out press releases and having a ceremony with a guest-of-honour. But I don't see how, and certainly don't hope that, the prize will add to or subtract from any work I produce in the future. C: Pleased. What would you say to aspiring poets and writers? SH: Think of what you want, how much you want it and how you are going to get there, before you put on this hat called "aspiring". The word has got to mean something more than a fashion accessory. C: Read things you would not normally read and do things you would not regularly do on a regular basis. If you'd like to get a complimentary promotional copy of either Shu Hoong's Frottage or Cyril's Unmarked Treasure, comment on this article at the Forum (just click on the "Comment on This!" button or link) AND indicate your interest. We only have a few copies, so do respond as soon as possible. CrashOut! thanks first fruits publications for their kind sponsorship of the books.