Ketika kau menulis puisi
Apa yang kau pikirkan
Atau apa yang kau rasakan

Mungkin tentang masa lalu
Mungkin tentang masa kini
Mungkin juga tentang masa depan

Apa yang ingin kau ceritakan
Kenyataan
atau harapan

Apa yang ingin kau ungkapkan
Kesedihan
atau kegembiraan

Mungkin kau demikian sunyi dalam keramaian
Atau di dalam kepalamu demikian ramai saat engkau sendiri

Mungkin engkau bertanya:
"Untuk apa kutulis puisi ini?"
Berulang-ulang, pertanyaan yang sama

Tapi engkau tetap menulis
Puisi
Tanpa pernah tahu mengapa

Indonesia, 27 November 2023

When you write poetry

When you write poetry
What do you think
Or what you feel

Maybe about the past
Maybe about the present
Maybe it's also about the future

What do you want to tell me
Reality
or hope

What do you want to express
Sadness
or joy

Maybe you are so quiet in the crowd
Or in your head it's so busy when you're alone

Maybe you ask:
"Why did I write this poem?"
Over and over again, the same questions

But you still write
Poetry
Without ever knowing why

Indonesia, 27 November 2023