little red comma: A Story, or History, Perhaps?

The late painter and pioneer of Singapore Malay literature Abdul Ghani Hamid has written hundreds of poems, short stories, articles and plays. Customise your own experience of one of his well-known poems by choosing the rhythms and sound effects to accompany an audio recording of the work in Malay, with the option to also read the English translation and record your own version.

Originally in Malay and translated into English by Annaliza Bakri, A Story, or History, Perhaps? (2008) is a melancholic rumination on sweeping transformations of the land and intergenerational change in the eastern part of Singapore. This gamified audio-led interpretation of the poem is part of Esplanade Offstage’s little red comma series reimagining SingLit for the digital space.