Song of freedom or anything you like

Freedom!

Ohoi, repeat it again slowly

Freedom

Now you know the ecstasy

of the song of liberty

Ohoi

Men may always be coquettish and spoiled

Women may be fierce when playing football

Young men may give sermons anywhere

Old men may flirt with girls everywhere

Ohoi,

Politicians may masquerade as preachers

Theologists may become film stars

Scientists may doubt holy scriptures

Tramps may be people's representatives

Ohoi,

Medical doctors may become magic healers

Fortune tellers may manage people's welfare

You may always rebuke your own brothers

While of demons you take care

Ohoi,

Businessmen may sleep with hookers

Business may be run by streetwalkers

Development programs may be mixed with gambling

While gamblers are free to develop anything

Ohoi,

The rich may neglect their brethren

The destitute may pawn anything they own

People on top may be praised till they get drunk

Subordinates may be crushed just like junk

Ohoi,

It's nothing wrong with artists being mystics

As mystics may get involved in arts

Poets may sing heavenly lyrics

While preachers may chant worldly songs

Ohoi,

Mr. So and So may do this and that

Whoever may do whatever they like

But is this what is called freedom?

-- A. Mustofa Bisri

(Translated from Ohoi by TIS)

Voices

Here

you can hear

voices, until all is quiet

at night

Here

no voices are heard

until you sing

in your own heart

Here

voices can be so expensive

and are purchased

once in awhile

Here

voices can be the subject of curses

and are suppressed

everyday

Here

Voices can mean anything

until a reverie

becomes a thinking

Here

voices can be muted at any occasion

until they are dead

along with conscience

Here

you can hear my voices, just as they are

until you feel like laughing

at yourselves

-- A. Mustofa Bisri

(Translated from Wekwekwek by TIS)