Singgah tiba di pekan Cheras
Jangan lupa membeli keris
Linang mata mengalir deras
Hati hiba bagai dihiris
Keris Jawa berliuk-liuk
Alat jati pendekar Naning
Hati hiba tiada terpujuk
Buah hati terlantar gering
Alat jati tanda keramat
Keris tuah menikam bengis
Buah hati gering teramat
Hamba gundah berendam tangis.
(pantun kasih buat Monkey)
Tentang Birat-Birat
Birat-birat itu adalah
Biru lebam yang belum padam
Seakan cakaran yang cukup dalam
Pada tubuh dan jiwamu
Takkan kau lupakan
Meskipun bertahun lamanya
Meskipun dia sudah lama mati
Dendam marah itu masih sebati
Marak kesumat
Merah meligat
Api kecewa seorang anak yang terbangsat.
On These Few Things
Elton John
Backgammon
Logic puzzles
Demis Roussos
These are the few things I remember
from those days long ago
when you were still trying to be my father.
On Plucking the Bitter Fruit
They asked me to describe
what it is that
I am feeling right now:
The disappointment of a son
and the alienation of a man
the bitterness of hopes
and the sweetness of vindication
the smallness of petty disagreements
and the enormity of loss
even if it is just the losing of you
I buried you yesterday
and I accepted your mantle
but I refuse this myth-making
this farce of false memories
You left us yesterday
but I left you long ago.
On Winning
I came home and
opened the door
It was early morning
and my cat meowed
welcoming me home
I stooped down to pet her
with tears in my eyes, saying
“You won, Monkey. You won.”
Today’s Three Things VI
- Penang might fall to Perikatan Nasional? Seems a little out there, but here’s the argument for this (to my mind) unlikely outcome.
- This is what an aging nation looks like: “Japan’s underworld has not escaped unscathed either: a majority of yakuza are over 50 and there are now more gangsters in their 70s than in their 20s. Meanwhile, senior porn is a growing niche, populated by a handful of silver stars in their 60s, 70s and even 80s.” Depopulation is becoming a real crisis for Japan.
- Is factory farming the worst crime in history? Read this before you sink your teeth into that KFC drumstick…
Tentang Kerapuhan
Sesat dalam cahaya terang
Jenuh aku mencari Jalan
Gundah hati bukan kepalang
Rapuh jiwa terpatah jangan.
On Passing Away
Gaunt and thin
Shallow breath
Frenzied beat
and then a sharp swift fall
He takes a final breath
and leaps heavenward
leaving us behind to
grieve.
Today’s Three Things V
- Many Malaysians have been complaining about a lack of direction for the Malaysian economy. Today, PM Anwar Ibrahim announced his vision: Ekonomi Madani, Memperkasa Rakyat. The announcement itself is worthy of dissection, which I hope to find time to do some time soon. For now, I can say this: I like the level of Ambition. Top 30 economy in the World! Now, we await the details of how we are supposed to get there.
- Anyone who knows some basic amount of physics would know that room-temperature superconductivity is a Holy Grail that could change the way we live. Is LK-99 the new material that would take Moore’ Law to the next level? Some folks are skeptical.
- This is the kind of level of Ambition that is needed to take Malaysia to Top 30. One Gigawatts! (And am I the only one here who suddenly thought: hey that sounds familiar!)
Tentang Pergelutan Setiap Malam
Setiap malam kau harus bergelut dengan suara bisik desisan yang mengumpan gundah dan amarah: kau tak layak kau tak mampu siapa engkau apa hak kau Dan setiap malam kau tak mampu terlelap mata parau memandang ke siling bilik yang mengejek mencebik: kau pasti gagal kau anak tersial kenapa engkau mengapa kau Setiap malam kalaulah mampu ingin aku pinjamkan selaut kasih dari hati tulus ini agar menjadi perisai yang melindungimu dari bisik cebik itu dan menyelimutimu agar lena dibuai kasihsayang selamat dalam teduhan tenang.