Gaia Tan, a 28-year-old Malaysian poet, who goes by the name Pim, has been collecting personal stories from the people around him, and turning them into custom-written poems through his platform Poetry in Motion (PIM).
While many poets write from their own lived experiences, Pim does the opposite – he lends his voice, through the written word, to others. He has made poetry accessible, taking it out of the realm of literary elites and into the hands of ordinary people.
At festivals, workshops and art events, Pim sets up his vintage typewriter and invites people to share snippets of their lives, memories, heartbreaks, or even moments of joy, before transforming them into personalised poems on the spot. He describes this concept as “Poetry-as-a-Service.”
He has appeared at events like MossFest and has even been invited by Sabah Tourism to write about his experiences there.
Online, people can commission poems by filling out a Google form, giving as much detail as possible about themselves, places, or memories they want captured. Within a few days, their poem is typed on A6 paper and mailed to them.
But perhaps what draws people most to PIM are his live sessions, where poems are written within 10 to 15 minutes with his typewriter clacking away.
Born and raised on a farm in Negeri Sembilan with his grandparents, Pim’s journey into poetry began early. “Like most poets, I started by reading a lot before getting into writing,” Pim told FMT Lifestyle.
Writing has been part of his life for 16 years, even as he juggles an AI startup. “Poetry keeps me sane, away from tech negotiations,” he shared laughingly.
Pim expressed that many people still have misconceptions about poetry, often thinking it must rhyme or follow strict structures.
“Almost all good poetry or art has an emotional core,” he shared. “I like poems that are clever, but not in your face.” Pim explained that he often incorporates nature metaphors into his work.
Some of his inspirations include Mary Oliver, TS Eliot, and Walt Whitman.
“When I read a good poem and really pay attention to the words and composition, it gives me goosebumps. It’s such a delicate craft – raw, honest, and vulnerable.”
As TS Eliot famously said: “Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.”
He first began experimenting with commissioned poetry in April 2022, inspired by a man in London who did something similar.
“In the beginning, it was for me to get out of my comfort zone,” he revealed. “I went around KL with my typewriter and invited people to tell their stories.”
Through these encounters, he’s had heartfelt conversations with strangers about life’s phases. “That interaction is what I enjoy most,” he shared. “I studied anthropology, and talking to people was always my favourite part.”
Among the many stories that have stayed with him was one about a Penangite. “She talked about motherhood and how she loved her family but at the cost of individuality. She cried when I gave her the poem.”
Another that touched him deeply was from a single mother working two jobs whose children chose to live with their father. “I titled that poem ‘Of Course It Hurts’,” he shared.
There have been joyful moments, too. During MossFest last year, a woman commissioned him to write a poem about her friend, which was meant as a gift.
His choice of tool, his typewriter, is intentional. “I use it for a few reasons,” he explained. “One is the touch and sound of it. And you have to be very mindful because you can’t erase what you wrote. The whole process becomes more engaging.”
There’s also a novelty to it. Typewriters are rare today, yet to him, they feel symbolic, connecting him to writers of the past.
Looking ahead, he hopes to revisit the people he’s written for. “I’m working to reconnect with them, reinterviewing and expanding their stories,” he said. “Ideally, at some point, my goal is to be a full-time artist.”
Follow Poetry in Motion on Instagram.