At a vintage fair in Singapore, Adam Tie chanced upon the most beautifully restored Corona typewriter he'd seen, sparking the beginning of a unique form of poetry where strangers give him three words and he weaves them into poems on the spot.
Having been in love with reading from a young age, his aspirations to become an author has been realised with the launch of "Finders & Keepers", a collection of poems each inspired by three words.
We ask Adam a few questions about his book launch:
Why the name Finders & Keepers?
I named it Finders & Keepers because I want people to know that they're not alone.
In their longings, triumphs and tragedies.
So we're all searching for ways to belong, forgetting along the way that we deserve to be found, too.
Hence why the name is Finders & Keepers.
It's my way of telling people they deserve to be here. I hope that comes across in my writing.
Which is your favourite poem and what's the story behind it?
My favourite poem would be "Pulse", inspired by the three words "forgiveness", "sanctuary" and "flight".
Because it's something I've always wanted to verbalise to people I care about: "Hey, just remember to breathe."
As someone who is (I admit) inclined towards anxiousness and overthinking, I catch myself sometimes and get back in the right headspace.
So it's not just written for myself, or to the young woman who wrote in (on the novel encounter, I held a competition for people to write in with 3 words, and my favourite ones would be in the book), it's to everyone I feel that's fighting the good fight.
Remember to breathe.
Pulse
Inspired by the three words: "forgiveness, sanctuary, flight" given by Kristabelle Tan
There's a chip o your shoulder
making you hesitate on the exhale
but there's something remarkable
about the way you crouch down,
knees apart; similar to
submission but I know what
it is - anticipation.
For you know the good fight.
Pursuing sanctuary in this abyss,
taking flight with the weight of the world
on your back. I recognise you,
practicing forgiveness in this city
of crushed halos and hollow promises.
At ease there, soldier.
The war, as is your heartbeat,
will always be.
You just need to remember
to breath.
What's next for you? Will you consider writing haikus, plays or prose?
Oh, I definitely would consider plays or prose.
In fact, I'm working on a novel now as we speak.
Aside from The Novel Encounter and the different aspects I'd like to dabble into with the business, my passion will always, always be writing.
Poetry and prose are what helped me through a lot. We'll see where this continues to take me.
Note: You can get Finders & Keepers here on The Novel Encounter - soon to be available in bookstores across Singapore in early December! Read our interview with Adam Tie here to find out more about how he started The Novel Encounter, the challenges he faced, and the unforgettable memories along his journey
