Under the green canopy, dark, brown, damp, void of grass Yard to the little house, walls of woven bamboo, walls which will never last Swept to a cleanliness where not a single fallen leaf survives, Tidiness creates space in the midst of scarcity, so from tiredness the villager revives. Grey blackish here and there shiny […]
Poem: Walk to the mosque, 1969
Sharp, fragile bones under the coarse soft skin I help him along, this grandfather so thin Along a narrow, dusty asphalt lane dark houses on both sides We stop at the place where his heart fully, truly resides. His steps are slow and shuffling, but never does he falter Black bruises on his forehead declaring […]
Sajak mbah kakung dari kauman
Mbah Kakung dari kauman Tulangnya terasa keras dibawah kulitnya yg kasar lunak Dibopong menuju mesjid lewat gang sempit asfal berdebu “Mau ketemu semua temannya nanti di sorga, kan, ‘nak”? Memar hitam di jidutnya umumkan imannya yang menggebu. Langkah-langkahnya lamban tidak pasti tapi tak mengalah Hidung tua peka sangat dilindungi parfum tebal “Ikut ke sorga nanti […]
Sajak Tebet
Pulang malam, gang sepi, seekor tikus nyeberang jalan lari dengan gemuknya. Lampu luar nyala. Lampu kamar depan juga. Udaranya segar enak habis hujan. Nggak mau ketuk pintu, pakai aja kunci. Sepi di dalam. TV nyala tapi suaranya tidak keras. Ruang tengah gelap. Bunyi keyboard kedengaran dari ruang di belakang, di samping dapur. Ada aroma enak […]
Sajak rindu saat tidak serius
MEMORI LIDAH YANG KANGEN Nasi Kerawang Uap harum mengawang Nasi Rajawali Kepingin makan berkali-kali Kuning menyungai lekat ke piring Telor mata sapi diatas nasi goreng Sambal terasi pendamping emping Tambah kopi tubruk harus minum bareng-bareng. Bandung Sambal segar dari oeloek dimakan berlahapan Bandung Dipendam dengan lalapan. Gulai tak pedas tapi mengikat lezat Kambing santan cabe […]
Poem: BALI, Indonesia
BALI, INDONESIA Green, deep green Chlorophyll blinds the eyes keen Black earth, brown aches Sticky mud between toes cakes. Tears irrigate the picture painted under the labouring harvest’s stricture Paddy, palms, coconuts, frangipanis Creations of peasant hands canny. Rice sold and eaten Suffices to keep deep want beaten But for the future there are no […]
(Poem?) The dried eel of Indonesia
(Remembering a story from the experiences of Joesoef Isak from 1966 or 1967.) The dried eel of Indonesia. The humidity was from sweat and not the air. The sad singing was the whimpers as they dabbed alcohol on the wounds. The music was the brushing of bodies and clothes against each other in the tiny […]
Poem” The Wretched’s Choir”
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That wakes a wretch like me I once was lost, myself now found Was fooled, but now I see. T’was to fight that taught our hearts of fear Yet to fight do fears relieve The wretched’s choir did then arise A new world to be the prize. Max Lane, May, […]
Poem: Becak Driver
Calf muscles bulging, hard, straight Wheels peddles backbone straining great One whole family seated under the roof His foot on the peddle whirling, or is it a hoof? The grimace while he bargains The sad smile as he counts his gains The laughter as they smoke kretek together Men, poverty’s burden to the peddle […]
Palestina Palestine: Poem: THE WALL
WALL Long. Thick. Grey. Dark. Tall. Ugly, dirty, casting cold shadows this wall. Stealing land, stealing rights, stealing life Not damming, but provoking strife It zigs and zags and curls and snakes Land and home and farm, it takes and takes A moat for fortresses defending wealth Perched on hilltops denizens of stealth […]
MAX LANE ONLINE 