Goh Poh Seng was awarded the in 1982. While he is often celebrated for his social realism and novels like If We Dream Too Long , "Fruits" showcases the more personal and lyrical side of his poetry found in collections like The Girl from Ermita & Selected Poems . Fruits Poem By Goh Poh Seng
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
Rambutans with their crimson hair, Duku-Langsat in clustered pairs, Mangosteens with purple rind, And the durian, thorn-defended, kind. ... But eat, my friend, before the afternoon Unhooks the sweetness with a silver spoon. For even fruits must learn to leave the light, And ripeness turns to rot before the night. Goh Poh Seng was awarded the in 1982
: "Watching the various fruits multiply and ripen," and "bend the slim boughs in graceful" curves. Literally, it describes the color of the fruits
Goh is warning us of carpe diem , but not the heroic Roman kind. This is a quiet, tropical carpe diem . He says: Enjoy this mangosteen now, because in an hour, its white segments will brown. Enjoy this friendship now, because the city will scatter us. Enjoy your youth now, because you are already older than the child who planted this tree.
Ultimately, "Fruits" serves as a reminder of the quiet, natural miracles that provide sustenance and emotional "homeliness" in an often-turbulent world. Goh Poh Seng / SIX POEMS
The poem by Goh Poh Seng (1936–2010), a pioneering figure in Singaporean literature, is a lyrical exploration of nature's beauty and its role as a source of emotional sustenance. Text Summary