Four haiku, a poem by Saut Situmorang

such boredom...
the goldfish swimming
measuring the aquarium

***

CHURCH BELL
the city walls laugh at it

***

ANCIENT TREE
a flower on the top branch

***

MIDDAY SUN
the dew in the graveyard still


Saut Situmorang, one of famous Indonesian Poet, now living in Yogyakarta, a basis of Indonesian intellectual. Saut recently released his "Otobiography" which content his complete poem collection. Saut chalange Indonesian literature society to againts Utan Kayu domination.

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On leaders and literature

The article under the eye-catching headline Leaders don't read Literature (The Jakarta Post, July 20) by Agus Maryono, the paper's contributor, is, in my view, superb in that it exposes a thesis, and not a mere opinion, of noted novelist Achmad Thohari of Banyumas regency. The Post should pay special attention to this novelist for the reason that his novel Orang-orang proyek (The project actors) is expected to be published soon.

He became famous in 1981 for his widely acclaimed novel Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk (Ronggeng dancer from Paruk village), which succeeded in its record of producing translations in five languages, including German, Dutch and Japanese.

But what is most stunning in that related story concerns the thesis, which can be appraised for its originality. It has never been heard of before from any person in his class, as that which was addressed to a special caste of elite, who are nowadays called politicians.

Achmad Thohari should be ready to assume accountability for his daring thesis that ""national leaders do not read literature"". His views assume prominent significance in terms of philosophical depth and psychological dimensions, as they illustrate his theory that ""literature generates spiritual refinement and enhances sympathy toward fellow humans"".

According to the novelist, the lack of this aspect of national traits is fundamentally responsible for the lack of compassion and sensitivity among national leaders, and this in turn has given rise to the nationwide political turmoil.

Such a proposition is not easy to offer without a critical and introspective state of mind. Of course, any reader is free to form his or her own judgment to assess the truth and quality of the novelist's theory respecting the worth of (good) literature for the public good.

But the intrinsic value of this thesis must prevail despite the irony that its realization may need perhaps a span of two generations to accomplish, as far as the national consciousness regarding the worth of good literature for the public good is concerned. The reason is obvious in that the ideal is intertwined in the process of educational development, which after all is recognized as being currently in bad shape.

Source: thejakartapost

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Sang Hyang Mayadewa

[This is a serial of lakonet written by Siswo Harsono. What is lakonet? Find the answer here]

Sri tinon ing pasewakan
Busana manekawarna kebak
Puspiteng udiyana miyang
Hanjrah sarwa rukma

ASTINA—The leaders of Kurawa hold general meeting to discuss the crisis of Kurusetra.

DURYUDANA: The distinguished leaders of Kurawa! The crisis of Kurusetra is a global crisis that should be overcome globally before it tends to be the Third World War of Baratayuda. For the Empire of Kurawa, this meeting is officially opened. Welcome General Baladewa.

BALADEWA: Iyo, thank you, ha, ha, ha, ha… sorry, I come late. You see—busy! There are so many internal affairs. For the sake of national development! Ha, ha, ha, ha….

SAKUNI: Hehe… idem! Even now Astina is campaigning world peace to prevent WW III of Baratayuda! That's it, Prof?

DURNA: Exactly! Nah, that's why Kurawa should apply a perfect strategy of international policy! Win without war! Nah, ha, ha, ha….

DURYUDANA: Precisely, Prof Dur! As a fully scientific theoretically sophisticated and referentially wealthy guru, you could give a perfect strategy!

DURNA: Nah, ha, ha, ha… of course, of course! Durna is not just a mere professor in action or professor in rank but a brilliant expert and a multi sophisticated genius!

BALADEWA: Krrk-phew! So proud! Prove it, Prof!

DURNA: OK! Based on research, the basic power of Amarta military defense is in the unity of Pandawa and Panakawan. It's the unity of apparatus and people! Nah, to destroy such a power—kidnap Semar! Use him as a hostage! If necessary, kill him!

KARNA: Wait a minute! It opposes human rights. Objection!

SAKUNI: Take it easy, Mr. Governor of Awangga! The policy is in the hands of Mr. President, the decision-maker.

DURYUDANA: Hmh, agree! What's your opinion, General Baladewa?

BALADEWA: OK!

DURYUDANA: Great—Brig. Gen. Dursasana, prepare Panakawan Operation. Kidnap Semar!

DURSASANA: Ait! Yes, Sir! Ha, ha, ha… e-e-e, I'm going!

“Attention! This is list of field-officers of Panakawan Operation: Dursala, Dursata, Durmagati, Durmuka, Durkarma, Durwigata, Duradara, Kartamarma, Kartipeya, Citrayuda, Citramarma, Citrakandala, Citraksa, Citraksi, Citragada, Drepayuda, Drepawarman, Drepasastra, Dredarata, Ugrasewa, Drestahasta, Adityaketu, Bimabahu, Dirgarama, Dirgabahu, Dirgalacana…!”
“Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!”

They march forward
Ready to make war

Cautious Gatotkaca
The air field-officer

THE BORDER OF AMARTA—Krincingwesi aircraft super-speedily flies!

“Hmmm… bastard Kurawa! Face the aircraft of Amarta!"—(Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!)
“Look out the bomb! Face downward!”
(Boom! Boom! Boom!)
“Krrk-phew! Bastard aircraft! Dare to ban the troops of Astina—taste this!”—(Bang! Bang! Bang!)
“Break, Jangkarbumi Division, this is Marshal Gatotkaca needs helping Amarta infantry, over!”
“Well, Colonel Antareja is ready to help—”
“Contact Admiral Antasena!”
“Yes, Sir!”
(BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!)

BALADEWA: Krrk-phew! Dangerous!

KARNA: Dur, Dir, Cit, Karta… back off! Back off!

BALADEWA: Krrk-phew! How about you, Prof?

DURNA: Hard! Instead of damage, it's better to go back off. Turn to diplomatic tactic! I'm going to meet Governor Arjuna in Madukara.

DURSASANA: Good! Be careful, Prof!

DURNA; OK, good bye!

Immediately Prof Durna
Goes to Madukara

MADUKARA—General Arjuna welcomes Prof Durna.

ARJUNA: Good morning, Prof.

DURNA: Thank you! As an Astina delegation I'm ordered by President Duryudana to discuss the crisis of Kurusetra. To prevent Baratayuda WW III, for the sake of world peace, Astina asks Amarta for giving Semar.

ARJUNA: What for, Prof?

DURNA: To be the elder of Astina! Nah, if you are not objection, please send him to Astina.

ARJUNA: All right! I'm ready to obey my guru.

DURNA: Nah, ha, ha, ha… please!

The earth quakes
The ocean quakes

GARA-GARA—The narrow-minded tactic of political conflict is burnt by a deadly edge. Tumaritis is attacked by a greedily and bloodily wild epidemic.

Suwe ora jamu, Mas
Jamune godong telo
Suwe ra ketemu Mas
Lho kok malah bodo

“Wow, Gong—obsolete! Not progressive! Art should have an autonomous characteristic. It must be unique, not cliche!”
“Just for money—bitch!”
“What! Attacked by dokuism, art idealism withers!”
“No problem—Bug!”
“Stop-stop! Don't make a noise! Be respectful toward the readers.”
“Sendika dawuh, Raka Prabu—”
“Stop—bitch! Don't pretend to be such a mad dalang!”
“Hihi… I see, wayang's dialog is interesting. As if I were a dalang!"
“What'll u do?”
“I'll change my name to be Bagong De Vito—hihihi….”
“Dear me! Suppose I know what?”
“Eh, look, there is Mr. Jun!”

ARJUNA: Sampurasun! Excuse me!

SEMAR: Rampes, General Arjuna, come in please.

ARJUNA: Thank you. Mr. Semar, I hope you would like to join in a peace delegation of Amarta to Astina. Now you should go there with Prof Durna.

DURNA: That's true, Ki Semar!

SEMAR: All right, let's go—Sons, take care our village!”

“OK, Dad!”

It is reported Prof Durna
With Semar goes to Astina

ASTINA—In an underground dungeon jail Semar is sentenced. He does not become an ambassador, but becomes an antidote. He is so powerless.

“O, God! What sin, fault, guilt, or malpractice I did before, so that I get my bad fate like this?”

Duka daku dikau daki
Dikau duka daku daki

“Hey, Kurawa! Semar vanishes from the jail!”
“Krrk-phew! The devil! Who are you?”
“Surprise, Kurawa! I'm Sang Hyang Maya Dewa who made Ki Semar Badranaya free.”
“Dur, Cit, Karta—seize him!”
“Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!”
(Clap!)—“Ciaat!”—(Bang!)—“Ait! Pfuh!”—(Thwack! Dig!) “Ouch!”
“Krrk-phew! Bastard! Hiaatt!”— (Clunk! Dig! Thump!) —“Gulp! Hoeekh ooo…!”
“Look, Dur! General Baladewa is beaten until spitting!”
“Krrk-phew! Run, Cit!”
“Okay!”

Kurawa run
Here and there

Sang Hyang Maya Dewa
Speedily goes to Amarta

AMARTA—General Arjuna requests political asylum.

YUDISTIRA: What's the matter, General Arjuna?

ARJUNA: Bad luck! I'm hunted by Sang Hyang Maya Dewa .

BIMA: Hmh, why?

ARJUNA: I sent Mr. Semar to Astina as a peace ambassador, but he's lost.

KRESNA: O, I see!

“Hey, Arjuna! The deuce! Though you go out of this solar system, you can not get rid of the prosecution of Sang Hyang Maya Dewa!”

ARJUNA: Protect me.

KRESNA: Let me face him!

“Babo krrk-phew! What do you want dark man?”

KRESNA: Excuse me, Prosecutor—it's right that Arjuna is in the prosecuted side, if he is proved wrong. However, Amarta is a law county, which appreciates non-guilty prejudice. Nah, let's solve this problem in the court.

“Don't shuffle! Arjuna involved in cheating man power, official mal-function, collaborating with Kurawa to plunge Ki Semar Badranaya into misery.”

KRESNA: All right, your witness can be use in the court. You can prosecute General Arjuna! Are you a citizen of Amarta?

“Yes! This is my ID card!”

KRESNA: What! Mr. Semar?

SEMAR: Yes, Sir! Sang Hyang Maya Dewa is only my pseudo-name!

KRESNA: O, o, o!”

SEMAR: Hehehe… all right, Mr. Kresna. I forgive Gendral Arjuna's fault! I should go back to Tumaritis. Good bye!

KRESNA: All right, Mr. Semar. Bye!


Semarang 19 December 2007
Ki Harsono Siswocarito

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Guide to the best online casinos

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To start playing online casino, or get guide to the best online casinos, visit www.onlinecasinolobby.com

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Ode for Kartini

I’m really disturbed by the poem,
They provoked women are suppressed,
Women were exprorieted her right.

Huh! It’s only your simply-mind.
May you pretend to be fool?

Across the ocean, west-to-east and south-to-north,
Women become suppressor.
Their seductions indoctrinate your passion.
They stab ahead, frankly,
But, you do not realize.
When you get up but was too late,
You are dispointed but,
time can’t be replayed.

Then, why you keep defending on them,
While you never got your right,
You are all being raped,
Your feeling, your thought, and
Your self-respect!
Which one is more cruel!

That’s why, now
Do not read the poem any more,
Besides for your mother, really,
She is the rasonable women,
We give respect,
Not them, not you!

Kartini should be cry knowing this,
She is know dispointed why did she used to defend her people,
If to day they turn in to be a suppressor.


by Hans, April 2006. In memorian to Kartini, former Indonesian female emantipation struggler.

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Seeking for paradise

As far I've passed by,
an endless journey,
No matter day goes dark,
cause the sun merely in dusk,

What should I name this circle
Such thigs are uncertain, unreal

Mom, don't you remember,
This won't be severe,
I beleive in the word,
since you're in my world

Mom, People are strange here,
untoucable as you're there, really,
I hate them all here,
as I hope the certainty

I was tired to trust again,
your word is no longer right,
You drove me in pain,
as if heaven brings sad.

Anonymous

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Reading "To Helen" a Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

by Siswo Harsono, a lecturer in English Department, Faculty of Letters, Diponegoro University. Now he is promoting and developing a blog for lectures. He also maintain lakonet.com for his project introducing traditional Indonesian play a.k.a "wayang" on the internet. Lakonet was published in two local Indonesian language: Jawa and Sunda, Indonesian National Language (Bahasa Indonesia) and also published in the international language, English.


When I read poems written by Edgar Allam Poe, I am interested in a poem entitled "To Helen". The poem has archetypal and psychological meanings. The archetypal meaning of the poem relates to Greek mythology; and the psychological one relates to the biography of Poe.

TO HELEN

Helen, thy beauty is to me

Like those Nicean barks of yore.

That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,

The weary, way-worn wanderer bore

To his own native shore.

On desperate seas long wont to roam,

Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face,

Thy Naiad airs have brought me home

To the glory that was Greece
And the grandeur that was Rome.

Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche

How statue-like I see thee stand,

The agate lamp within thy hand!

Ah, Psyche, from the regions which

Are Holy-Land!

1831


In the poem, Poe poeticizes woman beauty by admiring and comparing to diva beauty. His adoration embodied in his language use. He addresses a woman named Helen by an aristocratic and poetic word "Thy". He does not use "you" because he puts Helen in high position. Like in praying and worshiping, Helen's beauty is Poe's religious-aesthetic object. How romantic he is!

At first, I would like to trace the mythological and biographical relations. And then I would like to analyze the poem by using Freudian psychoanalysis perspective.

Mythological Relation

The title of the poem "To Helen" refers to a woman named "Helen". There so many women named Helen, and it is hard to trace which one that Poe refers. In line 2, the word "Nicean", in line 7 the word "hyacinth", in line 8 the word "Naiad", in line 9 the word "Greece", in line 13 the word "agate", in line 14 the word "Psyche", refer to Ancient Greek. It is obvious that the name Helen refers to Helen of Troy in Greek mythology.

It seems to me that Poe uses the image of Helen to adore a goddess-like woman. Who is the woman? This question leads me to trace the biographical relation.

Biographical Relation

Poe wrote the poem when he fell in love with a woman. She was the mother of his friend, Rob. Her name's Jane Stith Stanard. Poe liked reading his poems for her. And Mrs. Stanard liked listening to his poems. Such a writer-reader relation makes them fall in love to each other. What kind of love is it? Is it a kind of motherly or a sonly love? It is a kind of Oedipal love.

Poe adores Mrs. Stanard like worshipping Helen, the prettiest goddess and the daughter of Zeus. But the life story of Mrs. Stanard is not like Helen. The love relation between Mrs. Stanard and Poe is not like Helen and Paris. Poe's allusion of Mrs. Stanard is Psyche because her beauty makes Hera feel deadly envious and jealous. Because of her beauty, the queen of the goddesses Hera governs Adonis to kill her. Such envy and jealousy cause the death of Mrs. Stanard and the sad end of his love.

This phenomenon guides me to analyze the poem by using psychoanalysis.

Psychological Relation

Referring to the biography of Poe, his mother Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins died in 1811 when he was two years old, then Mr. and Mrs. Alan nurtured him. The relation between Poe and his surrogate parents led to oedipal tendency. Poe loved his surrogate mother, Nancy Alan; and he hated his surrogate father John Alan. The oedipal relation made Poe love motherly women and hate fatherly men. His love is embodied in his dark romantic poems like "To Helen"; and his hate embodied in his tragic stories like "A Tell-Tale Heart".

Poe's oedipal love is not incest of matrimony relation like in Oedipus. His hate does not make him kill his (surrogate) father like in Oedipus. He expresses his oedipal love and hate in his works.

His love can be categorized as dark romanticism because it has sad and sorrowful ending. For him a beauty lies in the deadly moment of beautiful women he loved. It is a dark romantic moment of myterium tremendum.

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