Dave Anthony rounds off his series of poems during the movement control order.
13 April
The Bereaved
A common cold, flu, fever, hidden within
Coronavirus codenamed Covid-19.
Father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter
Rushed into quarantine, moved into ICU
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Visitors disallowed! I no longer see you.
From mortuary in body bag to sealed coffin
I’m without you within.
The hearse, a convoy of military trucks.
At a distance metres apart in the rain
Pallbearers in white vestments I examine
Wearing protective suits, gloves and masks
Perform final rites, tearfully I watch the death of funerals
Deprived of paying my last respects with candles.
Body of my beloved swallowed up by the earth
Or consumed by the flames of cremation,
I return home wretched, desolate, heartbroken.
I kneel before the real absence in the tabernacle of my heart
Devastating emptiness in the house, a gaping hole in my soul,
Mournfully weeping, lamenting, hurting, distraught,
I resurrect him through the family album,
See her life fly past with memories of him,
I touch the gadgets cherished by her,
I play his favourite music.
S/he was always so full of life
Sometimes funny, brings a smile to my face.
The consoling pill, a bitter placebo.
Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Negrito
I’m not alone, they’re not alone
Lower the flag to half mast!
The Negaraku broadcast!
Declare a national day of mourning!
Wait for the New Dawn.
******
14 April
Exit Plan
Exit MCO? All will not go back to normal
Planning starts now, implementation later,
From DG Noor Hisham a caveat.
Planning in hands credible
Involves logical thinking
Rational decision-making,
Ministers’ competency debatable.
A masterplan needs a mastermind
With expert planning skills in kind
With clear objectives on the course of action
On how and when and who does what
To encounter the future situation
With coordinated preventive action.
Plan not a blueprint to cover all
Future not certain at all.
Exit plan managing:
A team for planning
A team for deciding
A team for implementing
A team for evaluating
A team for forecasting
A team for action ongoing
One for overall supervising.
Coronavirus pandemic a powerful reminder
To change our way of life forever,
Current system of inequality
Creates unsustainability,
Critical turning point an opportunity.
The world faces a new common destiny.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
