Subterranean
Cave of literary joys:
Euphorical me!
On The Miracle of Modern Flight
Beyond mere sight, the drone of jet-heeled thrust
Propels these numbered souls through sky, through clouds
Aboard this metal wing we embarked, flocked
And flecked with hopes and honeyed dreams ablaze.
Hurtling through the smoky night, we sail thus
Within tubular confine, nonchalant
At the miracle of modern flight, such
Being this, our present state of blessed grace.
Lives thus emplaced in Techne’s steady hand,
We embrace the calm slumber of meek souls.
On New Adventures
Always, the best things in our lives, they come
Unbidden, unasked, unexpectedly.
What does it take for the pale slivers of
Random good fortune and fate to greet us
And beckon us with grace and welcome smile?
How is it that such blessings often bid
Welcome only once Time has done its work,
When Aeschylus’ awful grace has worn down
Grieving hearts into spartan fists, never
Falt’ring in their austere, singular task
Of mournful remembrance for what once was?
And yet, and yet - Fortuna will demand
That we wipe our tears and hoist sails anew:
Fresh winds now come to stir this placid sea
A new adventure calls - we sail today.
On Coffee
I swill down a last
Gulp of this black elixir.
Exhale: Life goes on.
On Linnaeus
He ranked Men by skin
Color - Europe on top. An
Evil science indeed.
On Watching His National Day Rally Speeches in YouTube
From across the yawning gap, the wide chasm Of irretrievable Time, I watched this Lion of a man hold his people in a Roaring trance: his eyes ablaze, his voice in Firm, unshakeable command: exhorting, Cajoling, pleading, teasing, commanding. Teaching his people, teasing out the facts Of a hostile environ in which their Red dot is ensconced: uneasy, wary. Informing them of glory, great heights scaled, Warning them of complacency, of ease. He growls, roars, thunders like an Asian Jove, Like a Confucian father to cowed sons. Tells them to buck up, work t'wards, fight against, March onwards and upwards, Sisyphean. He says, "Even from my sickbed, even If you are going to lower me into The grave and I feel that something is going Wrong, I will get up." As I watch him on Stage, from the corner of my eye, I keep Watch for the angry ghost of Lee Kuan Yew.
Tentang Rindu Yang Bakal Terubat
Palu gendang bertali pantas
Alun degup berderap kencang
Hati girang meletus deras
Rindu hati bukan kepalang
Jasad jauh beribu batu
Namun pisah hanya sejenak
Dua hati terjalin satu
Takkan lerai walau terjarak
Terbang tinggi sayap garuda
Depa besi membelah awan
Kanda datang bertemu dinda
Kasih tulus mengubat rawan
Tentang Pengistilahan Siarpod, Siar Lenggai dan Siarsawang
Dalam episod podcast Keluar Sekejap yang paling mutakhir, KJ dan Shahril ada membincangkan tentang istilah “podcast”, di mana istilah sasar yang telah dikemukakan oleh DBP adalah “siarpod“. Dalam episod yang sama, KJ juga telah mengemukakan satu terjemahan harfiah iaitu “siar lenggai”, berdasarkan kepada istilah “lenggai” iaitu satu terjemahan harfiah kepada perkataan “pod” yang merujuk kepada ruang kandungan bagi sesuatu kekacang.
Pada hemah saya, penggunaan perkataan “pod” mahupun “lenggai” keduanya berbunyi agak janggal, mahupun dari segi bunyi dan sebutannya, mahupun dari segi maknanya. Apabila merujuk kembali kepada asalusul perkataan “podcast” itu dalam bahasa Inggeris, kita akan mendapati bahawa perkataan tersebut adalah suatu “portmanteau” atau perkataan gabungan bagi dua perkataan iaitu “iPod” dan “broadcast”. Nah, ternyata penggunaan perkataan ini memang mudah laris dalam bahasa Inggeris, memandangkan bahawa bunyinya itu senada dengan perkataan asal “broadcast” yang menjadi kata fungsi yang pokok, manakala “iPod” pula khususnya merujuk kepada peranti elektronik yang menjadi salah satu wadah utama yang telah melariskan pengunaan dan penyebaran media audio melalui capaian Internet.
Kalau begitulah akarnya perkataan “podcast” itu, maka cadangan saya adalah pengistilahan “podcast” dalam bahasa Melayu tidaklah perlu terlalu harfiah dalam merujuk kepada peranti iPod itu, tetapi memadai untuk merujuk kepada hakikat penggunaan dan penyebaran media yang kini pesat melalui proses penstriman data secara mudahalih malalui capaian Internet.
Hatta, saya mencadangkan penggunaan istilah “siarsawang” sebagai merujuk kepada istilah “podcast” dalam bahasa Melayu. Umum mengetahui bahawa istilah “website” kini sering diterjemahkan kepada “laman web” atau “laman sesawang”, yang mana istilah “sesawang” itu merujuk kepada hakikat bahawa maklumat disalurkan melalui gelombang radio yang beralun melalui langit lepas, atau “through the air”.
Istilah “siarsawang” ini, bagi saya, menepati dua ujian yang saya sebut sebentar tadi. Yang pertama, bunyinya sedap didengar dan disebut, memandangkan gabungan perkataan “siar” dan “sawang” membawa kesan asonansi yang “alliterative” atau mengandungi pengulangan perkataan pangkal yang manis didengar dan mudah diingati. Yang kedua, makna istilah tersebut juga cukup jelas, iaitu merujuk kepada hakikat penggunaan dan penyebaran media yang sedemikian.
Wallahua’lam bissawab.
On Burying a Father
He buried his father today, hot tears
Streaking down his cheeks as the smoky haze
Of incense and burnt flowers bathed him and
His fam’ly with aching, foreign sadness.
His father is gone, and he can’t fathom
Why his heart feels muted, mutilated.
On The Greatest Politician
I have always been, and always will be Ev’rything and ev’ryone, ever and Always, to ev’rybody. My honeyed Words and grand declamations, they dazzle And confound, seduce and charm, soothe and burn You with the searing heat of wild desire And the roaring march of your heart’s fealty. You will love me, adore me, enthrone me, For I am your true love, your highest cause, Your life’s grandest anthem, your marching tune Your sheikh, your boss, your chief, your Tun, your Lord.