News of the Poet
The Writer Has Died
By: Jacob Ereste
Freelance Journalist
(Part One)
The writer has died, before all his works and collections of writings that he had long wanted to publish had yet to be realized. The mourning at the funeral home was very modest and simple. Because indeed, part of his will to his family was not to bother many people.
There was no special ceremony when his body was released from the family. Only on the initiative of his close friend who had been through the same struggle and suffering, asked for time to give his last words. The tears were only a little, just a little, not to the point of sobbing, except for the lyrical words of emotion, as if slicing every heart that heard the story of his true friend who felt devastated, because it left a promise that they had agreed to do together in one form of compiling a book of life.
The tahlilan event was also carried out simply and spontaneously, that too on the initiative of his close friend who was very close during his life. Tahlil and tahmid, as well as special prayers for the deceased are said by various groups to have contributed to the defense and struggle for the people.
Since the funeral in his village, some people have only just understood that he was a diligent writer. He had no other profession except writing. For a moment, he had joined the ranks of media administrators. Like his activities in the world of movements that care about the problems and issues of the people.
There was no news of the death of this writer in various media that had ever — or even usually — published his writings.
It is very possible that for many people, the writings he made were not too important to be considered. Because the critical value inserted in each of his works was polite enough not to hurt other people’s feelings. But the topics he carried were certainly always up to date, considering that he was an active and serious reader and observer of social society.
The collection of his writings that have been collected — after being published by various media — is around 3,200 articles with various topics and the latest issues that were happening in society at that time. In fact, he really wanted to make his collection of works as an eternal tombstone. So that for everyone who wants to make a pilgrimage to his grave, they only need to read his collection of writings that have been immortalized.
Such is fate and handwriting, all is in the permission of Allah. Like death which is part of a number of His secrets and powers.
On the initiative of his close friend, a short poem of his about death that he wrote during his lifetime, was specially carved in the form of calligraphy carvings, to mark the grief of his friends and companions who greatly respected and appreciated him.
Banten, February 14, 2024
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