Growing older tanka

the art of
growing older--
this is why
she calls herself by
her first name

Mother tanka

I took my kids to visit my mother in my hometown last week end. Not a long trip, it usually takes no more than for hours driving. I wrote these two tanka during the visit.

Two tanka for my mother

1/
in wooden armchair
my mother no longer knits
slip, stitch and pass
the piece she made wholeheartedly
was raising a wayward son

2/
the meaning of getting old
my mother told me about
hair loss
I realize how hard it is
to say an early goodbye

Sharing memories tanka

sharing memories
at high school reunion
like old tape
there's something good
to listen between noises

Night rain

between
me and freezing rain
dad's old sarong

Old poetry book haiku

old poetry book
a haiku on the title page
about my first love

buku puisi tua
haiku di halaman judul
tentang cinta pertamaku

Veterans day haiku

veterans day
a fly dies
a week old

hari veteran
seekor lalat mati
umur sepekan

Old sarong tanka

it takes long
to get acquainted
my reflection and me
in my late dad's
old sarong

lama juga
untuk menjadi akrab
aku dan bayanganku
bersarung
peninggalan bapak

Old habit haiku

a big rock
remains after the flood
my old habits

batu besar
bergeming dalam banjir
kebiasaan lamaku

Drifting apple-a haibun

He, some said, is an-almost-perfect resemblance of me in smaller size. And it's been almost 9 years I watch over him, be his company and friend, and a mentor anytime he needs me to be. We have so many in common, but he's not a bamboo shoot that grows fast without leaving the cluster. He never walks in my shadow.

old trunk
an apple falls
and drifts along the stream


Banyak orang bilang, dia kembaranku yang nyaris sempurna, dalam ukuran yang lebih kecil. Dan hampir 9 tahun sudah aku menjaga, menjadi pendamping dan teman di perjalanan, dan pembimbing kapanpun ia inginkan. Kami memang mirip satu sama lain, tapi dia bukan rebung yang tumbuh cepat tanpa meninggalkan rumpunnya. Dia tak pernah berlindung di bayanganku.

batang tua
sebiji apel jatuh
dan mengembara bersama arus

Bamboo shoot and raindrop haiku

a bamboo shoot
climbs up the raindrop
how old am i?

rebung bambu
merambat hujan
seberapa tua aku?

Pakembinangun, March 5, 2010