The birds and the tree tanka

1/
too much argument
to win about loyalty
and love? what love?
ah, look! the pine we planted
welcoming the birds to nest

2/
how long the drought
will it be in our marriage?
before the first rain
we know the baby birds
flying off the bare tree

Tanka tepian hujan 2

:Chandra Prijosusilo

1/
gerimis pagi
membanjiri sarang burung
kosong dan dingin
terasa sungguh ranjang ini
terlalu besar untukku

morning drizzle
taking over the bird nest
cold and left out
i eventually realized
this bed too big for one

2/
terjaga semalam
oleh suara gerimis
kusimak seksama
keluh dan gelisahnya yang
tak terucap, tak tertulis

woke up last night
to the sound of light rain
i was all ears
to her griefs and sorrow
unspoken, unwritten

Uninvited guest haiku

uninvited guest
volcanic dust settled
in eagle's nest

tamu tak diundang
debu vulkanik bertandang
ke sarang elang

Weaverbird haiku

weaverbird's nest
a bit closer to my reach
:remnant of the last rain

sarang manyar
menggantung lebih rendah
:sisa hujan semalam

Malioboro tanka sequence

(1)
malioboro--
rash spreads over the sidewalk
from the tower clock
poets rush
to the funeral

malioboro--
ruam sepanjang trotoar
dari tugu jam
para darwis bergegas
menuju pemakaman

(2)
in the neon box
nesting mouse and cockroach
:dawn's approaching
a bat, baffled and confused
searching it's way home

tikus dan lipas
bersarang di neon box
:menjelang fajar
kelelawar tersesat
mencari jalan pulang


Wedomartani, April 1, 2010