I posted The Moment in Kumandang Sastra, a group of poets in Facebook, and somehow two members of the group, Pak Driya Widiyana M.S. and Pak Warih Subekti, commented on the post with a continuation of the original poem. And since Pak Warih is an editor at Rima News, the Enlightening Indonesian Internet Newspaper, he agreed to publish this collaboration poem as one of the articles in the newspaper, provided that I was the one who wrote the introduction, edited the poem, and provided explanation on some words. I of course loved to do it, and so I did.
I feel really honored that the poem received good response from the readers of the newspaper. Only 52 minutes after it was published, it was read by 4,480 readers worldwide. Quite a fantastic number for me, because I don’t think my poems have ever been read by that many number of readers. So let me post the whole collaboration poem here, and enjoy!
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Wed, 20/06/2012 – 22:08 WIB
And the trend of collaborative poems continues in Kumandang Sastra, a Facebook group for poets who are passionate to share their poems and who would like to appreciate the beauty and the passion of words. This poem is a collaboration of three poets in three cities: Melbourne (Australia), Semarang, and Jakarta (Indonesia). We hope you enjoy reading and pondering the words in the poem, as much as the poets enjoyed the creative energy of collaboration when they wrote it. Cheers!
THE MOMENT
By: Neny Isharyanti, Driya Widiana M.S., and Warih W. Subekti
Quiet and deep.
And I embrace
the quietness and the depth
with the curiosity of a traveler.
And the outer world just melts away.
Only me and my metta
in that moment of
ekagra and niruddha.
In that moment
my imagination
sends you a poem
to accompany
side by side
along the journey
The journey leads to
nothingness.
We’re in constant pilgrimage
practicing ekagra
seeking for niruddha.
Dear soul mate
whose beauty
I admire in total awe,
hold me in your imagination.
For in our past reincarnation
you are by my side
constantly.
Yet, may I change my mind?
For beyond imagination
is not enough for me.
Could it be in reality?
Are we creatures of
the utopian world?
The reality is characterized
by physical achievements
and we’re deprived in
our souls
longing for the days
where meetings of souls
is the contentment of
the moment.
We should lay down
all tiredness
after hiding from
our shameful passion
even though
we ought to be like that
To the Alpha and Omega
where from
where to
The current life is temporary
The next life is eternity.
Melbourne-Semarang-Jakarta
20 June 2012
Note:
Metta = an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest (Acharya Buddharakkhita)
Ekagra = a state of concentrated mind in yoga (Swami Rama)
Niruddha = a state of controlled mind in yoga (Swami Rama)
The Poets’ Bio:
Neny Isharyanti, a poet by passion, has written poems since she was in high school, and published her first Indonesian-English anthology “Sajak Rindu di Negeri Itu” (Longing for the Country) in 2012. Originally from Salatiga, Indonesia, she currently resides in Melbourne, Australia, to pursue her Ph.D. in new media.
Driya Widiana M.S. has been active in RRI Semarang (state radio network of Indonesia in Semarang) since 1975, has published several poem anthologies with other poets. His latest anthology is “Jemari 7 Penyair” (The Fingers of 7 Poets). For the last two years, he has been active in several poetry reading events in some cities in Indonesia, such as Jepara and Pekalongan. Didiek Soepardi M.S. is his nick name and his pen/radio name.
Warih W. Subekti, a connoisseur of arts and culture, in the process of being a poet, residing and working in Jakarta.
Nenyizm 