Life Ballad : 1983-2025

 

Life Ballad : 1983-2025

Penulis : Avita Aliza

Tebal : 169 halaman

Ukuran : 14,5 x 20,5 cm

Harga : 75.000

QRCBN : 62-250-2941-433

I think the title Life Ballad suits this piece. It compiles of my writings, corat coret, puisi, between the late 1980’s until recently. Sadly, many of my writings between 1980’s to 2000’s was lost due to, among others, moving and damage.

I remembered having a big green creativity notebook where I kept all my stuff. I thought I found this notebook in the attic in Kalibata at the beginning of 2025 while cleaning up, but it turned out to be another big green notebook with pictures and collage. 

I remembered writing some poems back in 6th grade. When I found out that we are moving to the US, I thought to myself: I will write a poem in English one day which I did about 6-month after we got settled. I was so proud of myself!

I wrote a really nice piece after running the DC Marathon in 1986. I remembered putting it in the drawer in my room and packed them together with all my stuff when we moved to a rental house in 1997 but have not seen it afterward. 

I wrote a lot during my college year in IPB between 1986 to 1990 - releasing the mind during happy or tough times. I don’t know what happen to those. 

When I started studying German in Goethe Institute Jakarta preparing for may postgraduate study in 1996, I declared to myself that I must be able to write a poem in German – which I did. Toll! The ability to understand poetry auf Deutsch is understanding the language at another level. I was so happy being able to understand and guessed on the teacher’s next line during my study at Goethe Institute Mannheim. 

I have this piece from 1988 because it was sent back to me by a friend, whom I addressed it to. She had a birthday a few years back, and she remembered receiving a poem from me a very long time ago. So, I re-typed and kept it. Knowing that the content is still pertinent after some 20 years, moved me.  Ode to me for being able to actualize this after all these years. Actions speak louder than words they say. In this case, actions and words coincide. Hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed compiling them.