The longest distance
An 18-hour flight from our Little Red Dot to Europe
And a 8-min morning peak hour MRT ride from Sembawang to
Yishun
From one continent to another; from one station to the next
Conflating a 12 000 km journey into a 3 km stretch
Irregular air turbulence expected but a faulty rail track
justified.
The train crawled past the vast plains of Sembawang Bus
Terminal and Senoko Industrial Estate
And navigated treacherous terrains at
North Point Shopping Mall
In both smugness and defiance
Patience is required
It was broadcasted
Qualified engineers are needed
That was not broadcasted
The views of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea revealed before
my eyes
Before the doors opened to the platform of Yishun station
My knees gave way and I fell to the floor in tears of relief
Never has Europe been this near to me
* * * *
到站
我带着2004年岛国地铁的记忆
抱怨穿越了一个世纪半的伦敦地下铁
记忆沾沾自喜
让管子般大的Tube甘拜下风
只是，地下铁依然故我
缓缓地爬向伦敦市的270个月台
市区线2015年底投入服务
深蓝的Piccadilly Line已爬过了50个站
南北线东西线周日缩短运作时间时
雾都的地下铁开始了周末通宵运行
记忆被岛国地铁的速度拖累
滞留在2004那一年
建了50年的国或许让地铁太沉重
以致列车门一开
只能对着老态龙钟的伦敦地下铁
望尘莫及
