Breached
A Total Defence Day Prologue
Singapore celebrates Total Defence Day today - when we consider all aspects of defence.
The military. The people.
The economy.
The MIND.
That requires the greatest protection.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
Breached...
A siren rehearses my ears and mind.
Preparedness, neat.
Checked.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
[Be ready].
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
Mind unbraced, with too many doors.
The sound fades, but a thin ring stays.
A soft hum. It never left.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
A soft, other voice.
Calm, in a uniform
Fitting all.
My mind's doors, unlocked.
Messages on billboards - suddenly mine.
"Stay quiet. Be safe."
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
"Stay silent. You're safe."
"Remain vigilant. You're set."
We practice. The body obeys.
The mind relents.
Each repetition, more polished.
Each exercise widens.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
"Stay quiet. You're safe."
It wants me managed
Not broken down. Taken over.
The safest mind -
Absorbs.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
The voice.
Name it, its grip
Loosens.
Reality -
Maintained.
Truth louder
When shared.
🚨🧠🔒🕳️📢🫥📺🔁🧼🫧🕯️👁️🗨️🤫✅
Original poem for Total Defence Day by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin.
For Vocal's Unnecessary Line Challenge
And Mikeydred's February prompt;
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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Comments (4)
Oh wow, I had no idea that Singapore had such a day. Loved your poem!
This unnecessary line challenge really was a challenge to me. I still wrote three, but I have no idea what they'll be hoping for. Good luck! 💜
Beautiful poem. yep, where lies the unnec line though, i too ask. Happy you pointed out Mike's prompt.
Great poem, Michelle. But I read it three times and was not able to find the unnecessary line.