On Thursday 24 November 2016, Ng Yi-Sheng launched his new book of poems, Loud Poems For a Very Obliging Audience (Math Paper Press, 2016) at BooksActually.

Yi-Sheng, the award winning poet, is one of Singapore’s most engaging literary personalities full of energy, eccentricity and erudition. I've had the pleasure of appearing on a panel at SWF with Yi-Sheng in costume presenting twenty plus slides on Singapore Horror.

He’s not just a poet he’s a writer wearing multiple hats as an editor (see Eastern Heathens), blogger (see also the fascinating East is Everywhere), gay activist, critic, journalist, playwright, fashion icon and cultural commentator (see A History of Performance Poetry in Singapore).

LPFAVOA gathers Yi-Sheng’s best spoken word poems presented over a 16 year period. My goodness, that’s a long time.

I’ve also had the pleasure of reading the early draft of Yi-Sheng’s collection of shorts stories for Sing Lit Station’s 2016 Prose Bootcamp. This collection will be something to watch out for in the future.

Speakeasy #16 at Artistry featured two very different, excellent, inspiring poets, George Szirtes and Ng Yi Sheng.

Apart from being a TS Eliot prize winning poet, George, is a Manchester Utd supporter. He also delivered a wonderful response to Jeremy Paxman's statement that poetry should aim to 'engage with ordinary people much more'.

I really enjoyed listening and engaging with his poem, Madhouse.

George has written a fine summary of the evening - full of warm and open insights - here on his blog.

Ng Yi Sheng is one of the leading poets in Singapore and won the Singapore Literature Prize for Last Boy in 2006.

His mother was in the audience and I bought her a pot of camomile tea. Yi Sheng tore off his T Shirt and performed 'A Loud Poem to be Read to a Very Obliging Audience', which climaxed in a crescendo of energy and action, and then levelled off to end in self destruction. Afterwards I poured his mother another cup of tea.

Yi Sheng has an illuminating tumblr East is Everywhere which explores the mix and mingling of 'Asian' cultures.

Speakeasy returns to Artistry Cafe next year.