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Raw: 30 poems about being Bipolar, Gay & Christian in Singapore: A 2019 SingPoWriMo collection
This book is a product of 30 days of prompts from various Singaporeans moderators participating in the country's annual SingPoWriMo, which stands for the Singapore Poetry Writing Month. In the month of April, a prompt is released each day and this book is a collection of 30 poems I've written in 2019.
Raw and unedited, the book provides a glimpse into the life of a queer Singaporean Christian living with bipolar. The prompts are provided to provide a bit of a background, but the poems can also be enjoyed on their own.
There are also other poems on other themes but the ones that have resonated with many are those that dealt with being queer and Christian. And also living as a neurodivergent individual in Singapore.
Alternating between strong rhymes and free verse, this little collection also explores various forms of Southeast Asian poetry such as the empat perkataan and the udaiyaathathu.
My Number 1 inspirations have been well-known Singaporean poets, Cyril Wong, and Tania De Rozario. This is my little dedication to two of my heroes, who helped me learn to lean into, accept, and eventually embrace my gayness for all of its beauty and glory. Their collections have provided much comfort in the times when I felt most alone. This collection is dedicated to them.
Also, you'll notice references to Robert Frost in certain pieces relating to nature. He was what I read growing up, again and again, for we only had one book of poetry in our house in my teenage years.
10% of all profits raised will be donated to Oogachaga, an LGBTQ+ affirming non-profit organization working with queer individuals, couples and families in Singapore since 1999. I've personally benefitted from their counseling services when a friend I met at reparative therapy killed herself. When I was strapped for cash, they offered a sliding scale which made access to much-needed counseling that much more affordable, and this is just my small way of giving back.
Another 10% of the profits will be donated to The T Project, Singapore’s first and only social service for the transgender community.
Raw and unedited, the book provides a glimpse into the life of a queer Singaporean Christian living with bipolar. The prompts are provided to provide a bit of a background, but the poems can also be enjoyed on their own.
There are also other poems on other themes but the ones that have resonated with many are those that dealt with being queer and Christian. And also living as a neurodivergent individual in Singapore.
Alternating between strong rhymes and free verse, this little collection also explores various forms of Southeast Asian poetry such as the empat perkataan and the udaiyaathathu.
My Number 1 inspirations have been well-known Singaporean poets, Cyril Wong, and Tania De Rozario. This is my little dedication to two of my heroes, who helped me learn to lean into, accept, and eventually embrace my gayness for all of its beauty and glory. Their collections have provided much comfort in the times when I felt most alone. This collection is dedicated to them.
Also, you'll notice references to Robert Frost in certain pieces relating to nature. He was what I read growing up, again and again, for we only had one book of poetry in our house in my teenage years.
10% of all profits raised will be donated to Oogachaga, an LGBTQ+ affirming non-profit organization working with queer individuals, couples and families in Singapore since 1999. I've personally benefitted from their counseling services when a friend I met at reparative therapy killed herself. When I was strapped for cash, they offered a sliding scale which made access to much-needed counseling that much more affordable, and this is just my small way of giving back.
Another 10% of the profits will be donated to The T Project, Singapore’s first and only social service for the transgender community.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2019
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