Saudaraku,
Ya, penantian itu suatu penyiksaan
Namun kau harus berteguh hati:
Keris jawa keris azimat
Alat saka pembela ummah
Rezki takkan salah alamat
Taqdir Allah takkan terkalah.
#658 On The Waiting (Being the Hardest Part)
The waiting is the hardest part
As days proceed in mute parade
I wait in pause for Time to start
And feign sangfroid - a wan charade.
#657 Tentang Kerja Senang Yang Disusahkan
Pokok tinggi jangan digoyah
Takut tumbang tertimpa atap
Kerja senang dijadi susah
Kerja banyak tak siap-siap!
#656 Tentang Ketenangan Menyambut Ramadan
Dalam rasa lapar dahaga
Ada makna ada pedoman
Suluh insaf menyeri hati
Demi bekal meniti hari
Siram rahmat menyubur jiwa
Aman tenang sambut Ramadan.
#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.
#654 Tentang Hati Yang Terguling
Gema zikir menyaring
"Allah Allahu" -
Aku terguling.
#653 Tentang Mimpi Beracu Tinju (Abang Ijan)
Di bawah langit murka
Dentuman guntur dan deruman gerabak
Bersilih ganti bersaling gema
Kau dan aku, mata merah marak
Terjebak dalam kancah amarah
Mengacu tinju bersahut galak
Abang Ijan,
Apa makna mimpi bermusuh
Tali akrab terlerai lusuh?
#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.
#651 On This Turneresque Shroud
Like a Turneresque canvas
Rain shrouds my windows
The growl of thunder deafens.
#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.