EWITH BAHAR

 

Like Sweet Alyssum

 

Spring days come, spring days go

but love like life, stays

reborn every morning every night

mesmerizing like serenade composition

 

As spring approaches,

a light exists

sending its orange bliss

with brand new philosophies

 

Sweet season is caught in my black tresses

in cozy patios with rosy roses

and in the balmy two sealed lips

 

Unwinged and anonymous dreams

are killed every time the eyes open

leaving chartreuse seeds of realities

which will live in all seasons

like sweet alyssum

 

Spring days, embellishing the ordinary

but life will come to a standstill

and love follows with a fragrance of eternity.

 

The Dolls

 

My dolls in shelves

still in style, in the faded dresses

went through the monotonous time

with endless smile

 

Those dolls look at me

when I lay down my weary head on pillow

I feel something weird when staring at their eyes

not the eyes I used to know

shy and innocent

tonight, those big balls, with the piercing gaze

make my blanketed body tremble.

 

Big Love That You Call Home

 

Time flies

twisting life with laughs and cries

moves swiftly from traditionalism to modernism

from yesterday to tomorrow

a fluctuation brings the palette of changed colors

brings the breeze and the storm

and women sweep them gracefully into dance

 

Within ages, women wear their same faces

deceptional voices, croaky or melodious

hidden emotions,

silent tears or enigmatic smile

they forgive the scars, heal the wounds

 

And the sharp knives in their drawers

are the wisdoms from hundreds of books they read

 

They speak, they write, they initiate, they finalize

unstoppable movements

they are future that you dream of,

lungs and hearts your life depends on,

and big love that you call home. 

 

EWITH BAHAR

 

EWITH BAHAR is a published author, poetess, novelist, translator and essayist from Indonesia. She had a long-time career in a mass communication field (radio and television industry). Prior to joining RCTI (The biggest private TV station in Indonesia) in 2004, she was a host for several musical and cultural programs for TVRI (Indonesian government TV station). This complements her passion who loves music, culture, psychology, philosophy and history greatly. She has published eleven books, in all genres: poetry, novel, short stories, and essays. Another three books are still in on-going process. Hundreds of her poems were published in many national newspapers, journals and online medias, home and abroad. Her works also can be found in approximately more than 60 poetry anthologies in Indonesia and in many international anthologies. She herself once organized Indonesian poets to publish their works into  ten poetry anthologies since 2014. And starting 2022, she plans to manage another poetry anthology project that will be joined by many world poets from five continents about Borobudur Temple, one of UNESCO world heritage sites in Indonesia that was built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD. Two years ago, in 2019, one of her poetry books, Sonata Borobudur, got a prestigious prize from Indonesian National Library as The Best Five Indonesian Poetry Books 2019. In November 2021, her single poem, “Imigran Digital” won the third place in a poetry writing competition, related to outstanding yearly Indonesian Poetry Day celebration, organized by Yayasan Hari Puisi (Poetry Day Foundation). In July 2022, she won two writing competitions, each the third place for Essay on Chairil Anwar (The most Indonesian influential poet) and essay on Insurance. Ewith Bahar’s poetical works have been translated into several foreign languages, such as English, Spanish, Indian, Serbian, Armenian, Uzbek, Nepali, French, Italian, Arabian, and Korean. Besides writing career, Ewith was also a teacher at communication institutions, Interstudi and LEPPKINDO. And several years ago she also run a public speaking course for children and teens, coordinated by her own event organizer. She is now active in KaBi (Kanal Buku Indonesia – Indonesian Book Channel) and as a public speaker for creative writing, communication matters and bibliotherapy.