Sonnets from the Singlish

by Joshua Ip

sonnets from the singlish is a collection of 44 poems on love, language and the pursuit of laughter. the poems are loosely translated from the english-based creole language colloquially spoken in singapore, widely known as singlish.

the poems were originally composed in the sonnet form, an archaic italian fourteen-line rhyming verse form that follows the rhythmic rules of iambic pentameter. people still write like this primarily for ease of formatting. they are most tolerable when read out loudly in a singaporean accent.

Genres: Poetry

72 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

Reviews

[Hao Guang Tse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fond of the sonnet, and Joshua Ip plays with it to great satisfaction. Occasionally there are lyric bursts of longing, perhaps even nostalgia, but these are balanced out with what I would call a clearheaded look at the state of the Singlish -- present language (language shapes thought) and how it relates to heritage. The ode to the karang guni man is a case in point: startlingly ecocritical, general and abstract, it narrows down to an unmistakably specific and concrete part of Singapore culture. Possibly, then, these sonnets-as-identity do most of their work in the volta; in the change from past to present, from disparate traditions to something new.

[mm · Rating 4 out of 5]

another local poet nails it with his observations of life on our tiny isle.

lamenting the lack of
private spaces in our country
. . . we humbly bid the government erect
more libraries, since all books lead to sex,
the inevitable best place to shag
is up against the shelves or on the stacks --
and there, we'll find our private cul-de-sacs
to make the beast with many paperbacks

the old builder complains
to the new town planner
. . . we were building a home, not finding faster
ways to get them to their homes. what common
ground do they share beyond void decks? tell
me why they'd stand together without lifts?
you wan to build community? a modern
shiny building? pffft

[Jericho Eames · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like poetry and I'm in the midst of learning how to appreciate a wide variety of it. I'm just starting to understand poetry and the way it flows and mingles and make sense in my head. I love how local the whole thing is. I know that's the point but knowing something and actually experiencing it is two very different things. I enjoyed most of the poems but some just left me confused and I couldn't see how it was to be appreciated. Overall I thought it was a good and fast read.

[jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sonnets do not really follow the iambic pentameter that it claims to and neither can all of them be read consistently in a Singlish accent. It was little bland and just okay.

My favourites would be: 'monkey learns to jump' (I enjoyed the satirical aspect of it), 'rag and bone' (what an avid and bold description of Singaporeans as a privileged city of waste that only trudges towards its end), 'bukit timah, singapore' (really liked the front few stanzas that outline a living and breathing state of the place) and 'conversaytion' (I smiled because it reminds me so much of the Singlish conversations I hear).

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did promise myself I would read more 'poetry' for 2014.

Interesting ideas presented in this slim volume but I don't think I am the target audience.

I am always leery of Singaporean writers/poets who take up the local lingos and spin a tale/poem from it.

[Liy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how I actually understand what he's writing about. It helps that I grew up in the same context as the author.

[Guan You · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I the only one to find this very thrashy? It's too crass and does not befit the sonnet form.

[Sabrina Loh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Singaporean poetry, and this is no exception. Funny and prosaic, but in the best possible way.

[Samuel Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

*eats multicoloured har gao, chuckles*

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few of the poems seem clumsily written, but the last few poems were probably the best in this maiden collection. Fun and quite thought-provoking in its own way.

[J. Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Puty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so impressed by the poems. Maybe Singaporeans will relate better. Some real Singlish poems are pretty funny though.

[yengyeng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Singlish sonnetizes well. Who knew?

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift, and I'm so happy that I did, because I'm sure I would otherwise never have stumbled upon it. Ip's poems are clever, crisp, and delightful all the way through. He brings an inventiveness and freshness to the sonnet form, playing with enjambment and really just seeming to have a great time. His poems range from fun and bitingly funny to thoughtful and moving in well-constructed, flowing, concise packages. For non-Singaporean readers like myself, there are extremely helpful notes at the end to explain some references and non-English phrases.