Daily commute on Singapore MRT, the lifeline of the island nation, now has the added attraction of poetry. For this, a commuter does not need to carry a book or plug in earphones; they can simply read the verses — in multiple languages — placed on the MRT coach windows and on every other available surface.
This unique initiative — named ‘Poems on the MRT’ — runs from November 2024 to October 2025, and its aim is to increase appreciation for Singapore literature (Sing Lit).
The National Arts Council (NAC), in partnership with SMRT Trains and Stellar Ace, launched Poems on the MRT on Friday. With this, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network has been transformed into a moving library of local poetry, offering commuters a unique opportunity to experience the richness of Sing Lit.
Spotlight on diverse array of local poets and poems
Produced by the local literary non-profit organisation Sing Lit Station (SLS), the initiative ‘Poems on the MRT’ puts the spotlight on a diverse array of local poets and poems.
The initiative features excerpts from more than 100 Sing Lit poems in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil in trains on the East-West, North-South, and Circle Lines; a special concept train that is fully dressed in an eye-catching train wrap; animated videos created by local artists; and video interviews with local poets sharing their inspirations and more at the stations and on trains — offering a multilingual literary experience that celebrates the city’s cultural diversity.
The selection of poems is the result of prominent voices from the literary community coming together with Sing Lit Station to co-curate beautiful, uplifting, and contemplative excerpts of Singapore poetry.
The team consisted of A. Inbha, Annaliza Bakri, Farihan Bahron, Joshua Ip, Noridah Kamari, Paul Tan, TrendLit Publishing, Yeow Kai Chai and Zhou Decheng, with special thanks to K. Kanagalatha, who provided guidance and advice during the curation process.
These works showcase Singapore’s diverse literary heritage across generations and poetic styles, from Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award recipients to emerging writers.
Through English translations that are displayed alongside Chinese, Malay, and Tamil poems, the beauty of Sing Lit and its multilingual facets can be enjoyed by all members of the public.
Translations were done by Alfian Sa’at, Annaliza Bakri, Irawan Gani, Joshua Ip, Shelly Bryant, and Sulosana Karthigasu, who provided their expertise in ensuring the accessibility of the translated language while maintaining the essence of the original poems.
The full list of poems and translations are available at go.gov.sg/potm, and commuters can easily access them by scanning the QR codes on train panels.
To mark this launch, a Pop-Up Library made a special one-day-only appearance on 1 November at Dhoby Ghaut station, near the North-South Line. The pop-up experience showcased a curated selection of Sing Lit titles for browsing, alongside free poetry-zines that were distributed to members of the public.
Fiona Chan, Chair and Station Director, SLS, said, “Poetry has the power to transport its readers beyond the everyday. By embedding Singapore poetry on MRT journeys, Sing Lit Station aims to elevate the daily commute and showcase our rich literary landscape in bite-sized, accessible passages. We hope ‘Poems on the MRT’ will inspire and intrigue commuters to find out more about our local poets, and the light that their work sheds on our unique Singapore culture at the end of each tunnel.”
Aruna Johnson, Director, Arts Ecosystem Group (Literary Arts), NAC, said, “We are delighted to work with our partners, SMRT, Stellar Ace and Sing Lit Station who share in the vision to connect our communities through the arts. We hope that ‘Poems on the MRT’ will offer commuters moments of beauty, respite, romance, contemplation and good humour to inspire their everyday.
“May they enjoy the poems, presented in our four official languages with accompanying English translations, and get to know the poets who make up our thriving, multicultural literary landscape.”
