Remnants of Grief by Zulfadli Rashid
Ah, the ink
is still wetWitnessing
the cities
pacified
the bricks whispering
tall, touching the sky
imprisoning its occupants
impounding free movement
while the wind howls
inciting
grass to turn to weeds
foliage unfolding
cloaking the highway
nature’s cycle
raises his chin
and Man
bows
falling, face first
a safe distance
a needle prick
a mask coveringThen
we want to, swiftly
disregard,
rushing furiously,
lesson dismissed –
fist clenched –
punching the air
that we had once
fearedHurriedly.
As I long for
The Norm.
Remnants of grief,
intertwined with wretchedness.
Sisa-sisa Duka
Nah tinta
belum lagi keringMenyaksikan
kota-kota
sunyi
batu-batan berbisik
tinggi mencakar langit
memenjarakan penghuninya
merampas gerak bebas
sambil deru bayu
menghasut
rumput menjadi rumpai
dedahan merimbun
menudung lebuhraya
putaran alam
mendongak dagunya
lalu manusia
menunduk
jatuh tersembam
berjarak selamat
tertusuk picagari
dibalut pelitupLalu
kita segera mahu
lupa,
bergegas deras,
meninggalkan kuliah –
menggenggam tangan –
menumbuk udara
yang pernah kita
geruni.Tergesa-gesa.
Dek rindu pada
Yang Biasa.
Sisa-sisa duka,
diadun celaka.
- 115: SPACE
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114: NO THEME 13
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113: INVISIBLE WALLS
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112: TREAT
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110: POP!
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108: DEDICATION
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107: LIMINAL
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106: OPEN
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104: KIN
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103: AMBLE
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102: GAME
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101: NO THEME 10
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100: BROWNFACE
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97 & 98: PROPAGANDA
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96: NO THEME IX
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95: EARTH
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92: NO THEME VIII
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90: AFRICAN DIASPORA
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89: DOMESTIC
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57.1: EKPHRASTIC
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57: CONFESSION
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56: EXPLODE
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55.1: DALIT / INDIGENOUS
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55: FUTURE MACHINES
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54: NO THEME V
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53.0: THE END
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52.0: TOIL
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49.1: A BRITISH / IRISH
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49.0: OBSOLETE
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48.1: CANADA
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48.0: CONSTRAINT
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47.0: COLLABORATION
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46.1: MELBOURNE
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46.0: NO THEME III
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45.0: SILENCE
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44.0: GONDWANALAND
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41.0: TRANSPACIFIC
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40.1: INDONESIA
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40.0: INTERLOCUTOR
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39.1: GIBBERBIRD
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39.0: JACKPOT!
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38.0: SYDNEY
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37.1: NEBRASKA
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37.0: NO THEME!
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36.0: ELECTRONICA
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