At Soekarto Hatta airport we wore masks
spraying false data
rootless stories
that we picked up from fragile, formless clouds
among the hustle and bustle of people
with suitcases and memories on our shoulders
and blind maps in their heads
We hid in the silence of the airport
weaving together stories of our journey
taking steps together
while catching the tune
not caring where we are
because the journey of love above the clouds
has no stopping point
When the door opened
some people read the signs on their chests
they shared a smile of greeting
and I made up a story
about clove seeds in Tomohon
and extreme cuisine that I had never noticed
Then my feet entered a silent corridor
among the roaring planes
I greeted the reader of the signs on my chest
putting memories on my head
and took a seat in a silent corridor
There was a foreign reader of signs
a foreign woman staring at the window
exclaiming seeing my heart neatly stored
by her side
"It turns out we together, who would have thought!”
I froze in the rainy season
everywhere there are sign readers
but this is where the fun begins
for us to remember in old age
Alue Awe, December 31, 2024
Kisah dari Awan tak Berwujud
Di bandara Soekarto Hatta kami memakai topeng
menyemburkan data palsu
kisah-kisah tak berakar
yang kami petik dari awan-awan rapuh tak berwujud
di antara lalu-lalang manusia
dengan koper dan kenangan di pundak
serta peta buta dalam kepala mereka
Kami menyempil dalam kesunyian bandara
merangkai kisah perjalanan
mencecah langkah bersama
sembari mengahap nada
tak peduli sampai di mana
sebab perjalanan cinta di atas awan
tanpa titik perhentian
Ketika pintu terbuka
beberapa manusia membaca tanda di dada
mereka membagi senyum sapa
dan aku mengarang cerita
tentang biji-biji cengkeh di Tomohon
dan kuliner ekstrem yang tak pernah kuperhatikan
Lalu kaki memasuki lorong bisu
di antara pesawat menderu-deru
aku menyapa pembaca tanda di dada
meletakkan kenangan di atas kepala
dan mengambil kursi di sebuah lorong sunyi
Di sanalah seorang pembaca tanda asing
perempuan asing yang menatap jendela
berseru melihat hatiku tersimpan rapi
di sisinya
“Ternyata kita bersama, siapa sangka!”
Aku membeku di musim penghujan
di mana-mana ada pembaca tanda
tapi di sinilah keseruan bermula
untuk kami kenang di masa tua
Alue Awe, 31 Desember 2024
