A hundred ways I'm grateful for this Life
A hundred times I'm blessed by God above
Within the daily din of baying strife
I've armed my soul with Kindness and with Love
With pen and paper, in my solitude
I count my blessings with deep gratitude.
#433 On Echoes of Friendships Past
Our friendships echo loud through muddled Time
And even in the darkest night, alone
The memories come alive in gentle rhyme
For all our sins, these warm ties do atone
And even though our lives now barely meet
I treasure this: no lies, no bald conceit.
#432 On Friends and Turkish Tea
After all that has been said and done
I am glad that we are still friends
Even if we only see each other
Once every few months, these days
The Turkish tea reminds us
That friendships can transcend time
And place.
#431 Tentang Malam Lara
Malam yang gelap
Mengandung duka lara
Yang tak terungkap.
#430 Tentang Penulisan Tesis
Tarian jari pada kekunci
Merangkai aksara dan wacana
Prosa tulus tanpa tekateki
Merungkai makna masa dan siapa
Menyingkap epistemi sang haiwan
Sehingga terbongkar akar makna:
Bahwa tiap makhluk dijadikan
Penuh warna panca kejadian.
#429 Tentang Sang Pekerja Asing di Klinik Kucing
Dua tangannya berurat kuat
Merangkul erat sang kucing manja
Senyum redup pada wajah kesat
Menguntum rahman pada binarnya
Mata yang sering lama terkusam
Dulu pudar, kini bercahaya
Pada hidup yang lama terkelam
Kini sinar tenang gah tersulam.
#428 On Visa
Drop by golden drop
Clotted into these deltas:
A fertile garden.
#427 Tentang Kelab Abah Tabah
Kelab Abah Tabah namanya
Medan gabung ayah terdebar
Lihat anak dara jelita
Mata jantan liar menjalar!
#426 On Curses
I curse you.
I curse you for the smearing of our good names.
For your insinuations.
For your callous determination, to destroy our good works.
For your cowardice, in hiding behind the veil of power
to push us off the precipice.
I curse you, in this blessed month of Ramadan.
May your aims all go awry.
May your works crumble into ash.
May your evil doings find their way back to you,
transmuted into evils committed unto you.
May the miseries you inflict on others,
be heaped unto you in series a millionfold.
I curse you, and may God curse you too.
#425 Tentang Hari Raya Yang Bakal Menjelma
Hari Raya bakal menjelma
Manis senyum makin melebar
Buang duka buanglah lara
Moga bahgia meranum mekar.