To the Tune of “Shout” by Tears for Fears
To the Tune of “Shout” by Tears for Fears
“In the days leading up to the May 3 elections—and Singapore offers one of the shortest windows for campaigning, only nine days—political rallies organized by opposition parties were packed, and enthusiasm for their candidates seemed real.”—Salil Tripathi, in “Why Singapore’s Ruling Party Won Yet Again,” Foreign Policy, May 5th, 2025
What plane will you fly in and out of Singapore?
I’ll write a poem, not about, of Singapore.
Respect the voters’ choice, say the politicians.
When the choice weighs the crimes and clout of Singapore.
Pissed off, that’s how I feel, go and tell your masters.
God! I’m sick and tired, no doubt, of Singapore.
Outdoing one another on the screen, the pundits
wow but so does the sexist lout of Singapore.
I wanna scream and shout. And let it all out.
I wanna scream the scream, shout the shout, of Singapore.
The public square is out-of-bounds for PDA.
The eating contest is the Bout of Singapore.
What about workers’ rights? And the death penalty?
The free speech rules you cannot flout, of Singapore?
The season was rainy, muddy, and promising.
Nothing grows here but the bean sprout of Singapore.
We hadn’t even broached the genocide of Gaza.
O, citizen, consider the tout of Singapore.
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