The ghosts of the archipelago haunt the screens of our minds moving from graves or old trees to the walls of our homes and even our deepest pockets draining whatever is left and what is left

The all-knowing tuyul (a ghost who knows money) dwells

The sundel bolong (a ghost who actively steals money from people's savings just to see them laugh at the unfunny play

Even the shroud (pocong) still has difficulty walking

Soldering fear in shabby clothes and a charred face in the darkness

Without eyes

Without a nose and no mouth

Silent in the darkness of night

Look at that long-haired woman crawling from a large tree, looking for a cruel man

With a mustache and no masculinity

So who is this large, jet-haired creature building a palace in a fallen tree scaring people with a grin then disappearing into the darkness

On the guest list of the celebration listed and unreal, a list of names living in the clouds representing a tribe growing in slums in the dark agreeing to be hostile man who failed to sell them with old songs

Lorong Asa, March 2025

Orkestra Keluarga Hantu

hantu-hantu nusantara bergentayangan dalam layar pikiran kita beranjak dari kuburan atau pohon tua sampai ke bilik rumah bahkan saku terdalam menguras apa saja yang tersisa dan yang tak bersisa

tuyul yang serba tahu uang berdiam sundel bolong yang giat membolongi tabungan hanya untuk melihat mereka tertawa atas lakon yang tak jenaka

pocong pun masih susah melangkah menjaja ketakutan dengan pakaian lusuh dan wajah gosong dalam kegelapan tanpa mata tanpa hidung dan mulut pun tiada bungkam di kelam malam

lihatlah itu perempuan berambut panjang merayap dari pohon besar, mencari lelaki kejam bermisai tanpa kejantanan

lalu siapakah makhluk besar berbulu legam membangun istana di pohon tumbang menakuti manusia dengan seringai lalu menghilang ditelan kegelapan

dalam daftar tamu perayaan terdata dan tak nyata sederet nama hidup di awan mewakili suku bangsa tumbuh kumuh dalam gelap sepakat memusuhi manusia yang gagal menjaja mereka dengan lagu lama

Lorong Asa, Maret 2025

The poem above is included in the poetry anthology Kebangkitan which is set in the world of film.

Launch of the poetry anthology "Kebangkitan" at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, Indonesia.