#655 On These Roiling Tides

The roiling of these vicious inner tides
It turns and tosses me in waves of grief
Behind these eyes the Darkness barely hides
The sadness lurks within - a brazen thief
I turn to You, the One and Glorious Lord
Please knight me now with Your majestic Sword.

#652 On The Regrets of a Middle-Aged Man (Letters to a Young Friend)

Dear friend,

You asked me about Regrets:

All I can say is that my own Youth,
Like that of many others, has had its trials.
I've wrestled with the shifting sands of my own flailing Truths;
The shifting quicksands of my own lies and denials.

In this time, my years of unrelenting middle age,
I look at my youth with no small amount of wonder;
My younger self was no daredevil, nor sage;
And now my life's laid bare to Time's plunder.

And yet, what's done is done - I'll own it all,
We are all servants in His majestic thrall.

#650 Tentang Harapan Yang Tersungkur

Sama muka samalah padan
Kini bangsa terpalit bebal
Serpih kaca disangka intan
Berat padah menanggung sesal

Sama luka samalah sayat
Kini hampa sarat membeban
Apa nasib rakyat melarat
Sungkur hasrat padam harapan.