poetry is like a bird, it ignores all frontiers (Evgeny Yevtushenko)
well, the clause of the day is “i love poetry”
I always love poetry and the same clause goes to poets (yes this is confession # 1)
Saleh ben Joned, a malaysian poet whose work i studied when i was at UKM once stated that poetry is the most private from all genre of literary work. to put it in other words, sometimes it’s only the poets who know the meanings of the piece they’ve just penned.
in my words, this private aspect makes poetry “mysterious” to most people. yes it is mysterious in any sense of the word.
as a person trained in literary criticism, i confess that reading poetry is the most challenging task i’ve ever faced. let alone analyzing it! wah, it’s like doing my hard regime of work out before participating in a martial art competition (it was years ago and i got Silver). yeah, its mysterious; hard to unveil; and difficult to comprehend.
however, naturally it challenges me and i naturally love challenges. yah, what to say, i am my parents’ daughter. it’s in the blood.
yes, challenge is another aspect which makes me smitten with poetry. quoting the great russian poet i’ve mention above that poetry ignores all frontiers. my understanding of his words is poetry challenges rules. in other words, it’s rebellious.
aih, i have this penchant to instantly in love with rebels. (for your information, my Ibu told me i m a rebel).
mmmm…..i contemplate that if i have this intention to marry, i’ll marry poets. to me poets (writers in general) are sexy (confession # 2).
nah, do you know why i ramble about marrying a poet today. because the semester break will start next week and it’s likely i’ll spend much time at home in bukittinggi. it means, i’ll spend more time with my family.
then?
it means during the two months course of the semester break, somebody will raise this question when i m gonna get married.
so?
it means i need to invent answers for that typical question which will hit me blow after blow.
hah?
and they will not stop despite my battered, black and blue with shame and humiliation psyche.
god!
they will only stop ambushing me with those annoying questions when they succeed to make me sit next to a bride groom on a pelaminan, a marriage altar.
worse, the more pressing matter is my family’s home is right next to a mosque, where couple solemnize their marriage, and right dead in front of KUA office, where couples register their marriage.
what more?
not far my my back yard is a the village’s communal bath where girls and ladies bath, do the laundry or dishes, in short, gather and gossip. and the hottest gossip feed is “the unmarried maidens in the village”.
yes, m dead. definitely finished. i envision my mom will nag me whenever she she has chances (she is as persistent as i am you know). cepat kawin!!!!!!
anyone please help me! give me a poet!
soon.

6 comments
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June 20, 2009 at 9:00 am
colson
After reading this post of yours I immediately started the search for the suitable single poet. I’ve not yet succeeded, but how do you like this poem:
I reel a little revolution off
I reel a little revolution off
I reel a lovely little revolution off
I am no longer of land
I am water again
I carry foaming chalices on my head
I carry shooting shadows in my head
a mermaid rests on my back
on my back rests the wind
the wind and the mermaid sing
the foaming chalices ripple
the shooting shadows fall
I reel a lovely little rustling revolution off
and I ripple I fall and I sing
translated by James S. Holmes
( It’s by the late Lucebert – so, he’s unfortunately no candidate for marriage. His original text in Dutch is:
ik draai een kleine revolutie af
ik draai een kleine revolutie af
ik draai een kleine mooie revolutie af
ik ben niet langer van land
ik ben weer water
ik draag schuimende koppen op mijn hoofd
ik draag weer schietende schimmen in mijn hoofd
op mijn rug rust een zeemeermin
op mijn rug rust de wind
de wind en de zeemeermin zingen
de schuimende koppen ruisen
de schietende schimmen vallen
ik draai een kleine mooie ritselende revolutie af
en ik val en ik ruis en ik zing)
June 21, 2009 at 10:50 pm
john
I am sailing around Sumatra in October. Up the east coast, by Nias up to Sabang will prob stop off in Padang.
So you can let your neighbours know that you’ll elope with me.
We shall read Shelley’s ode to the west wind, get drunk on Durian, eat satay and stare at thunder storms miles off on the horizon every night.
Game?
June 22, 2009 at 9:32 am
delvi
@colson: lovely poem from great artist! thank you for caring to show me this beautiful piece.
“reeling a little lovely revolution off! first time heard such line.
i wish i could understand the original language (it inspired me to take Dutch class!).
@john: eh? you are a poet? ha ha ha ha elopement!!!
(mmm….. this is what i hate about poets, they like to do things following unusual procedures: you can read shelley in your modest drawing room; no one will get drunk on durian; what is the use of staring at thunder storm; no need for elopement coz mom will instantly say “okay” if i like the guy)
June 23, 2009 at 2:01 am
john
ok, sounds like u hate everything about poets which is romantic.
don’t tell me, you’re such a poetry geek that u dig iambic pentameter and that side of things : P
June 23, 2009 at 3:44 am
delvi
ha ha ha……i just broke a poet’s heart
o calamity will befall me
o woman don’t you hurt a poet
or ye shall meet the fate of
a sailor shooting an albatross
June 25, 2009 at 12:19 am
john
they’re fantastic lines, i need to read that poem sometime…