Meraut resah
Bilah demi sebilah
Hingga tertajam;
Ku ambil satu, lalu
Ku tusuk dalam, padu.
#685 Tentang Kelana Di Bawah Jaga
Lenguh kakinya
Letih kelana
Beratnya mata
Terdetak lena
Kaki berdenyut
Matanya surut
Diam berqunut
Makna melarut
Sayupnya dunia
Di bawah jaga
Sayap jiwanya
Lebar kelana.
#684 Tentang Terik Matahari Di Bukit Ueno
Terik matari
Membakar bayang legam
Lelah terpanggang.
#679 On Satori (Sunday Morning)
Waking up and praying Subuh
Reciting His uncreated Words
The gentle chirp of birds outside my window
An early morning hike through Bukit Kiara
Ice cold fruit juice on the way down
Roti canai and idli, with crisp fried chicken
Iced coffee with honey
Michael Bolton singing “Go The Distance”
Sitting here with my beloved
And a good book:
- This is Satori.
#677 On Bad Words
Five years in and I learnt all the bad words
The terms of endearment smeared with vulgarity
The hollerings of young impudent boys at ease with the barbarity
Of curses and cuss words
Take me not back to those years of
Savage putdowns and uncertain jocularity
Of ravaged hearts and ruinous hilarity
The cruel currency of teenage boys
Instead, let me meditate on the noise and din
Of classrooms and the boys and girls within
The drama of pining hearts, the original sin
Of birds and bees playing their own parts
To perfection
We laughed in artful jest and mannered scorn
To mask our youthful hurts and hearts forlorn.
#675 Tentang Kesibukan dan Hati Yang Berpalu
Di tengah-tengah kesibukan
Bangsar dan segala kekejarannya
Aku bersimpuh memohon keampunan
Mengucap nama-Mu Tuhan ar-Rahman
Mengucup dahi pada lantai maidan
Dengan jiwa penuh dahaga
Aku berteguk pada wadi Yang Maha Esa
Di lidahku mengalir kalimat-kalimat kudus
Mengalun mengubat hati yang tertandus
Tuhanku,
Redakan hatiku yang sering gering berpalu
Hanya pada-Mu aku berpaling mengadu.
#674 On This Red Line
This is where the line is drawn
Marked out here in crimson blaze
No white knight, no foolish pawn
I refuse your hollow praise
Go on, glance with murd’rous bile
My own stillness spurns your guile.
#670 Tentang Penemuan Di Akhir Usia (Damai Abadi)
Di hujung usia
Akhirnya kau temui:
Damai abadi.
#669 Tentang Kedatangan Izrail
Masa merusuh lari
Usia pantas memburu
Sesal membungkam hati
Jiwa terluruh kelu
Apa erti gah dan harta?
Apa makna wang dan kuasa?
Hanya dedaunan kering di ranting usia
Datang Izrail, terasing hampa.
#662 On This Unwinnable Charade
You can keep playing
This unwinnable charade;
I have had enough.
