1945, February 14
*Supriyadi led the PETA rebellion in Blitar
He saw how the Japanese forced farmers to hand over all the rice they had, even though they were running out of food, down to sewing tree barks into clothes, dying as
romusyas, etc.
He hated the Japanese so much he decided to go ahead with his rebellion.
(Zulkifli Lubis: MSII47)
(from
Kronik Revolusi Indonesia (
Chronicle of the Indonesian Revolution), Volume 1 (1945), Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Koesalah Soebagyo Toer, Ediati Kamil, KPG, Jakarta 1999, p. 3)
Kampung
If I want to get out of this country, Sis, it's
because the air here is stuffed with
dead thoughts.
Nothing's changed, just
like back then at
the kampung.
People are busy setting up rules
for alley traffics
night patrols and
registrations at the kemantren.
Everyone wants to have his say
on morals, politics, religions
as if they know what they're talking about.
Hang families who hold dance parties! Down
with la petite bourgeoisie! I'm waiting
for someone to say, 'Just leave them alone.'
Everyone flirts
with the djamu-woman, laughs
at all her jokes.
And gossips on the street mean so much
more than a quiet samadhi
alone.
People are suspicious
of love
and trust.
If I want to get out of the country, Sis, it's
because I want to be free and find the real
me.
(Subagio Sastrowardojo,
Simphoni, Pustaka Jaya 1971, pp. 35-36)
The Story Of An Old Man Who Died This Morning As Told By A Friend Who Said He Will Be A Poet One Day
This is sad.
An old man at the intersection, dead, next to the traffic lights.
His belly, concave like glasses for the near-sighted.
A fly, knee deep in pus-y sores, electric yellow like the colors of the prostitutes' clothes.
I'm standing next to him.
And I'm thinking.
Am I going to end up like this,
Dead like a dog with my legs spread open?
(Adri Darmadji Woko, in
Penyair Muda Di Depan Forum, Dewan Kesenian Jakarta 1976, p. 63)
Honey Bird
A bird
Purple
Breaks honeycombs
Petals of flowers
Pink
From the tops
Of the dadap
Tree: the bird
Thin-winged
Crook-beaked
Grey black leaves
Tremble
Branches
Give way when
The beak
The wing suddenly
Swerve
Wind on its
Tail. The ends of
Branches
Blue.
(F Rahardi, from
Kompas, 7 May 2006, p. 30)
Re: City [2]
this city is full of legs
young, clean-skinned, wild
the legs of a golden afternoon
6 january 2003
jakarta in my head
(ode_wallad a.k.a. Edo Wallad in
Antologi Bunga Matahari, Avatar Press 2005, Jakarta, p. 146)
