the colour in which we love by Brian Lee (19, Singapore)

The Straits Times, 4 Sep 2022: “Who of these two prospective suitors would most appeal to women here - a handsome man with little to no savings, or an average-looking chap who is savvy in managing money?”

​​​paint the streets green—forget
about red. red on flags, red
of the setting sun, red of 
our blood, red of saga seeds and
passion; you shall discard them

for the lushness of our trees
and our laurels, yes, that is
what we are, or rather, what
we by the wisdom of our fathers
have willed ourselves to become:

now behold the city we built 
in a garden. now convert yourselves
and surrender your hands to the
irrepressible forces of our 
manufactured nature. green.
green are the triumphant alleyways;

green are our garlands upon
the PIE, BKE, SLE, ECP--
and if you watch closely
with a keen eye for flotsam,
even the dew that rises from
the quay at dawn is our manicured green.

watch now, even the rice you
are about to spoon into your
hungry mouth is green: the 
chicken is green, the sprouts 
green; all is green. your fingertips, they
carry the scent of the $5 wads
pressed into your wallet,

they are a reminder 
that we are up and alive today
primarily because of green.
do not waltz benighted
into your lover’s kiss--
pause before eyes pool unto lips.

the hand round the waist
in the raging disquiet 
of the underground east-west line
(probably somewhere

between raffles place and city hall)
i am not asleep. are you
watching the interchange
of passion and prudence,
of love and trees?

​