August 30, 2016

Dr Edwin Thumboo is one of Singapore’s most acclaimed poets. An Emeritus professor (1997) at NUS, he was the Head of Department of English Language and Literature from 1977-1993, and our first Dean of FASS from 1980-1991. With his wealth of contributions made to the Arts and Literature scene in Singapore, it is no surprise that Dr Thumboo was awarded the 1980 Cultural Medallion and the 2006 Meritorious Service Medal.

In this post, we introduce one of Dr Thumboo’s poems – “Singapore 1941/2”. Composed in 2001, this poem deftly captures the harsh realities of war where he recalls his personal accounts during the Fall of Singapore in WWII. Typically, Dr Thumboo draws on history and his own experiences as a source of inspiration for his poems.

Read this poem here.