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SINGAPORE: Poets have set up camp in the middle of the city and they've asked all ye weary travellers to join them.
Word Forward is presenting the Silk Road Poetry Slam on Friday at the Sun Tent in front of Victoria Theatre as part of the ongoing Singapore Sun Festival.
The non-profit arts organisation, headed by poet Chris Mooney-Singh and his wife Savinder Kaur, is known for its monthly poetry readings at Zouk's Velvet Underground.
Australian Mooney-Singh, who is also a Singapore Permanent Resident, said the idea of holding poetry performances in tents dates back to the tradition of the caravanserai, a roadside inn where travellers converge. He also cited the Adelaide Writers Week in Australia, which is traditionally held in tents.
Friday's event will include readings by the Word Forward Trio — Richard Lord, Tracy Tan and Lee Yew Moon; a dance/poetry performance by Lee Wai Ching; an open mic session; and a poetry slam competition by students.
Winners of the festival's travel writing competition will also be announced, which is appropriate given that the "Silk Road was where travel writing by the likes of Marco Polo began," said Mooney-Singh.
Looking for unusual venues for poetry readings is something the couple, in their early 50s, have done since they started Word Forward in March 2003. Aside from Zouk, they're regulars at malls and even heartland community centres. "We've performed alongside hip-hoppers in Toa Payoh," quipped Mooney-Singh.
Next Tuesday's slam at the Velvet Underground will feature singers and songwriters.
They've also brought poetry to the youth. Apart from their slam events at schools, they started the annual National Youth Poetry Slam League (NYPSL) last year.
At the coming Singapore Writers Festival, Word Forward will present events under their Writers Connect workshop and reading sessions at The Arts House, beginning with Feed The Poets, a reading and launch of four poetry books by Marc Nair, Pooja Nansi, Bani Haykal and Mooney-Singh, on Dec 1. There will be late-night open-mic sessions on Dec 2 and 6 at 9pm.
For those who plan to drop by and read their poems, Kaur — an accountant who handles the more "mundane" aspects of the group — offers the most poetic advice: "Just feel the poem with your whole body. You're there to create drama in that little space." - TODAY/sh
WHAT: SILK ROAD POETRY SLAM
WHEN: FRIDAY, 7:30PM
WHERE: SUN TENT, EMPRESS PLACE PARK
TICKETS: $12 from SISTIC
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