Gerson Poyk to read stories

JAKARTA (JP): Writer Gerson Poyk is scheduled to read his short stories at the cultural center Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta on Sept.22.

The short-story reading, featuring around four of Poyk's realist-naturalist stories dated 1970s to 1990s, will focus on Poyk's ideas of a so-called jembatan kemanusiaan (humanity bridge), said the writer of 10 novels.

"A humanity bridge is hidden in every natural moment of life and in my stories," Poyk told journalist in a press conference here on Wednesday.

"It is only a comparison, in reality for example we cross a bridge. There we meet with blind beggars, children who are manipulated by adults to beg etc," Poyk explained," in the moment like that we feel everything: touched, hate, compassion, pity, on the very bridge, a humanity bridge appears."

Former journalist of the defunct Sinar Harapan, Poyk who is now a bohemian writer and freelancer, was awarded the most prestigious Indonesian Adinegoro prize for his achievement in journalism in 1985 and 1986 and Sea Write Award for his literature career by ASEAN government in 1989. His stories have been translated into English, German, Japanese and Dutch.(als)