THE SAND CASTLE

One day, Pa Pa made a sand castle,
Mixing loving care with big muscle.
When it became creme de la creme,
Everyone was so proud of him.

A work of perfection out of our reach,
It shone like a rare gem on the beach.
A stunning feat never to be repeated,
With worldwide applause he was feted.

But, someone kicked a heavy ball.
Oh dear, just look at where it did fall!
It was really hard to show no emotion
When we saw a great sandy demolition.

A total sadness came after the shock.
For a while, we just couldn't talk.
We begged Pa Pa to build us another.
But he told us to ask Big Brother.

But, no matter how Big Brother tried,
The best sand castle had truly died.
So when Pa Pa left us shortly after,
We could offer only sorrow at his altar.

One night, Pa Pa appeared in a dream.
He told us never again to cry for him.
For he had embedded glory in the sand,
Everybody just needs to lend a hand.


Singapore is best described as a sand castle. No matter how glorious it was in the past, its sharp edges will be blunted by the wind, its design will grow weary, its purpose will be eroded by the passage of time and its structure will be destroyed when the tide comes in. It needs constant re-building by everyone.