Goh Poh Seng (1945-2010) was a Singaporean poet, writer, and translator. He was known for his evocative and lyrical poetry, which often explored themes of nature, culture, and human experience. His works have been widely anthologized and translated into several languages.
The speaker finds "true blissfulness" in watching the fruits multiply and ripen over a "serene summer long." This emphasizes the patient, natural progression of life.
The repetition of the word "golden" serves multiple purposes. Literally, it describes the color of the fruits (likely mangoes, papayas, or bananas—tropical staples). Symbolically, "gold" suggests value, richness, and a divine quality. By using this repetition, Goh elevates the fruits from mere commodities to objects of beauty and worth. The phrase "ripened to perfection" suggests that nature has completed its cycle of growth, offering a gift that is ready to be consumed. fruits poem by goh poh seng
However, notice the verbs. The rambutan "with" their hair; the durian is "thorn-defended, kind." Goh personifies each fruit, giving them character and agency. The durian, notoriously feared by Westerners for its smell, is called "kind" because its thorny exterior protects a custardy heart. This is a poet who understands that ugliness or danger often guards the most tender truths.
: In other works like "At Anawhata," fruit imagery reflects personal transformation and defiance, such as the speaker becoming "sour as a calamansi" at dawn after being a "sweet mango" at night. Poetic Devices Goh Poh Seng (1945-2010) was a Singaporean poet,
The specific focus on tropical fruits like the durian or the starfruit roots the poem firmly in the soil of Southeast Asia.
Read a critical introduction to his lyrical and personal poetry style at Learn about his iconic first novel, If We Dream Too Long , and its impact on Southeast Asian literature on between this poem and his famous novel If We Dream Too Long Goh Poh Seng - Singapore - NLB The speaker finds "true blissfulness" in watching the
The comparison of the beggars' legs to "heavy logs" creates a distinct image. Logs are wood; wood comes from trees. While the fruits are the "golden" outcome of nature, the beggars are likened to the earthy, solid base of nature. Goh solidifies this metaphor with a rhetorical question that acts as the philosophical core of the poem: