Demi kuasa, kau
Tabur seribu janji
Pura berseni.
#570 Tentang Tempurung Luka dan Merdeka
Malaysia, tanah bertuah
Hari ini, kau titipkan merdeka buat kami
Selaksa bangsa yang masih kesah bertatih
Meski enam puluh tujuh tahun telah bersilih
Kami masih enggan berjalin utuh
Malaysia, bumi meriah
Hari ini, kau maafkanlah kami semua
Segaul warga yang masih giat berkhilaf
Meski zaman gigih bergulir laju
Kami masih gemar berlawan seteru
Sejujurnya kami masih belum merdeka, Malaysia
Masih terasing dalam tempurung luka.
#569 Tentang Politikus Wajah Seribu
Politikus wajah seribu
Cakap degar membikin ribut
Kini janji makin mereput
Derap bangsa makin tersiput
Politikus dalih seribu
Hari ini wajah tersipu
Hari ini kami tertipu.
#568 On The Final Step
One final step
And the earth collapses underneath your feet
The ground you thought was solid
Gives way to an avalanche of tears
That final step
Breaks through the reams of cruel soil
The gruel of your dreams
Flushed away into the gaping seam
Your final day
And life collapses into the darkest maw
The solid darkness of muted synapses
Your hopes now
Made forever raw.
#567 On The Saggy Bending of the Knees
A saggy bending of the knees
Prostrating to the will of Fate
Amidst the shimmer of these trees
My life’s regrets coagulate
I sink into the mud of Time
And beg His Mercy for my crimes.
(with apologies to T S Eliot)
#566 Tentang Pemergian (buat Abang Jamal)
Pemergianmu
Kami kenangi, dan tak
Mungkin terganti.
(demi mengenang arwah Abang Jamal)
#565 Tentang Pengharapan Yang Telah Lama Lumat
Sesat!
Sesat dalam kelikatan kuasa dan wang
Sesat dalam cahaya terang
Sesat dalam longkang jawatan dan jabatan
Keramat!
Yang dahulunya kau junjung
Kini kau usung keluar
Untuk pameran hambar
Mata rakyat yang telah lama terpudar
Terlambat?
Ya, mungkin sudah lama terlambat
Talkin yang kau kumatkan
Sudah hampir ke penghujungnya
Dan yang tinggal cuma puntung
Pengharapan yang telah lama lumat.
#564 On Your Dark Clouds of Regret
Encrowned with dark clouds of regret
In far-off lands you seek refuge
A proud denial of life’s upsets
You hide in practiced subterfuge
But still the sadness’ yours to keep
Your life’s “J’Accuse” is what you reap.
#563 On Being a Big-Hearted Nation
We may not be a rich nation
And we are certainly not a big nation
But we are a big-hearted nation
Congo, Bosnia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Gaza
Wherever there is conflict
Wherever there is suffering
There we are: Malaysia.
#562 On the Poetry of Everyday Things
I want to write about
The poetry of everyday things:
The smell of coffee in the morning
The gentle breeze as I look out the balcony
The fragrance of the flowers on the window sill
The bark of the dogs down in the valley
The growl of the cars zooming past on the road
The uncles and aunties taking their morning walks
The security guard nodding sagely from a distance
The cats lounging by the side of the street
You holding my hand, flashing that smile that makes me fall in love with you all over again, everyday.