In commemoration of Singapore’s 61st National Day in 2026, three emerging poets have offered new poetic interpretations of the Merlion, the city-state’s emblematic mythical creature. Since Edwin Thumboo’s 1979 poem "Ulysses By The Merlion" established a tradition of literary engagement with the icon, young writers have frequently revisited the symbol to explore its evolving cultural significance.

The commissioned works, published ahead of National Day, present distinct perspectives that reflect the Merlion’s complex role in Singapore’s identity and collective memory.

In “The Tired, Washed-Up Mascot at Benjakitti Park,” poet Max Pasakorn imagines encountering the Merlion far from home in Bangkok. The poem portrays the figure as weathered yet dutiful, embodying a sense of displacement and quiet endurance under a neglected tree. Pasakorn’s Merlion is depicted with “blank eyes” and a “dry, crusty grimace,” suggesting a stoic resilience amid change. The poem evokes themes of belonging and the tension between public perception and private suffering, highlighting the emblem’s transition from a revered guardian of the city’s cleanliness and order to a symbol confronting obsolescence in a foreign environment.

Izyanti Asa’ari’s “The Merlion Laments” takes a more introspective and abstract approach. The poem emphasizes the Merlion as a projection of Singapore’s imaginative and constructed identity. Asa’ari writes of the creature as “the stacked flash of pure invention,” whose image is both dynamic and enduring, shaping the city through countless variations and interpretations. This poem challenges critics who might wish for more rigid, unchanging symbols, arguing that the Merlion’s fluidity and cinematic presence are central to its meaning.

Finally, Mok Zining’s “The Merlion Signature” adopts a metaphor framed in the language of contemporary skincare and restoration technologies. The poem humorously envisions a process to revitalize the Merlion’s exterior—from protective scaffolding and cleansing Alpine waters to advanced treatments designed to preserve its facade against environmental degradation. Mok’s portrayal draws parallels between maintaining the monument and upholding cultural and historical legacies, suggesting that such symbols require care and reinvention to endure.

Together, these poems contribute to ongoing conversations about Singapore’s national narratives and the role of the Merlion as more than a mere tourist attraction. They reflect an awareness of history, modernization, and the symbolic weight carried by national icons in a rapidly changing society. The series serves as a literary celebration aligned with Singapore’s National Day festivities, inviting readers to reconsider and reimagine what the Merlion represents today.