How to Fly the Singapore Flag

Yes, it's August, and as part of National Day celebrations, we'll be looking and featuring various items related to good ole Singapore. Today, we're delighted to feature a poem by Daren Shiau, poet/writer/environmentalist/lawyer/DJ, who's working on his fourth book. He likes music by JAMC, Pixies, Field Mice and The Smiths. Of this poem, he says, it "was a response to an actual article in The Straits Times, and has surprisingly been the most well-received of my poems at overseas readings especially since it's so Singaporean in context." Perhaps some folks might want to read this before hanging up the flag. (BTW we'd also like to point to this illuminating entry about a flag shop in Murray Terrace, near Maxwell Food Court.)

How to Fly the Singapore Flag
by Daren Shiau

last week of July,
the Straits Times bore an article with a simple tag -
it told us: How to Fly the Singapore Flag

it told us that
we could display it in August
but remove it by September
no other flag or emblem above, or to its right
no words or graphics upon it, and if it might
be torn or worn
hand it to the RC;
if not, wash it separately –
dry it indoors

i've seen it flown at construction sites,
on bamboo poles outside provision shops,
at farm-huts in Lim Chu Kang
and the neon brothels in Geylang

i've seen it planted on a lonely crane, hanging over Shenton Way

and grasped in a toddler's sweaty palms
waving it frantically as her mother held sway,
refusing to let it be coaxed away


- we cannot decide how a flag is to be flown;
we can only raise it, give it winds
   and let it make change, on its own


Copyright Daren Shiau. Used with permission.