I saw you, as a baby,
Wrapped and swaddled in a coat of darkness
Helpless, unable to fend for yourself
Desperate cries were all you could harness

I saw you, as a baby,
Who had done nothing to deserve this plight
Scared, scarred, shaken
Unequipped to fight or take flight

I saw you, as a baby,
With your entire world ahead of you
Fullness of life trapped within terrified eyes
I saw destiny to protect and pursue

And so I rescued the babies, one by one,
Down the scaffold, bound for safety
They needed to go home, to be cradled, loved
As every baby should rightfully be

I had so many feelings about the tragedy, but I wanted to share a short poem inspired by the migrant workers, who played such a key role (amongst so many other heroes) in rescuing the children from the fire.

There’s a CNA clip going around showing them getting interviewed. What struck me the most was them referring to the children as ‘babies’ 💔 It really moved me to tears.

Christopher Seow is a paediatric doctor at KK Hospital, specialising in infectious diseases. He is also a proud parent of three beautiful children. While Paediatrics may not have fully prepared him for the challenges of parenthood, parenting has certainly honed his practice of Paediatrics. Having always loved telling a good story, the sleepless nights (both at home and at work) serve as a hotbed of inspiration that fuels his creative writing.