(The mStar Online team - Arif, Ain, Zira, Zana and Wahida)

Once in a while you have this urge to let go and exercise your limited creative juices on that 'ancient' thing called Pantun.

My new family, the mStar Online 'kids' - Wahida, Zira, Zana, Ain and Arif (especially Zana), described pantun and the likes of pantun as bahasa Tun Sri Lanang.

Arif, the fine writer that he is, has progressed beyond his 'Darsawarsa' and 'Tuntas' knowledge which he often uses when he writes, Zira - the novelist loves the flowery old lingo hence 'Tebak' is her very own trademark among us.

Wawa thinks its far too taxing to dwell into pantun but eventually got 'caught' in the game while Ain is the silent supporter.

So here are some of the PANTUNs. Its a way of distressing really. But if you are a pantun lover, like me, please go to my other blog: www.write-a-pantun.blogspot.com. There's loads over there.

Below, are the ones written by 'these bunch of bright kids.'

TAPAK SEMAIAN DIBUBUH BAJA
KALAU BERKENAN KATAKAN SAJA
APA GUNA PANTUN BERJELA
JIKA SALING MENJERUK RASA
(Zanariah wrote this)

ITIK NILA BERENANG-RENANG
AIR TAK DALAM SEPARAS PAYA
BEKAS TERTARUNG LAGI TERKENANG
INIKAN PULA HUBUNGAN NYAWA
(This one is by Arif)

MASAK ASAM DI TENGAHARI
UDANG GERAGAU DIJUAL KATI
SIBUKNYA TUAN TIDAK TERPERI
KESIAN SAYA ASYIK MENANTI

BUKAN SAYANG SEBARANG SAYANG
BILA JUMPA HATI BERDEBAR
MALAMKU SURAM, SIANGKU PANJANG
SEMUA DIMAKAN TERASA HAMBAR
(Esp for Ain and Ariff)

KEBAYA PENDEK SANGATLAH MOLEK
KAIN BATIK SAMA SELENDANG
RIAK HATIKU SANGATLAH PELIK
INGIN BERMANJA DENGAN TUAN SEORANG
(Zana who admires someone in the office)

NASI LEMAK BUAH BIDARA
BUAT BEKAL KE NEGERI JAWA
PUAS KU PUJUK HATI YANG LARA
ORANG TAK SUKA LUPAKAN SAJA
(Zira...get over it ok)

HUJAN LEBAT DI SANA SINI
AWAN MENDUNG DI WAKTU PAGI
APALAH MALANG NASIBKU INI
BURUNG DI TANGAN TERLEPAS PERGI
(Arif on his lost love)

AMPUN MAAF PADA KEKANDA
TERLEPAS CAKAP TIDAK SENGAJA
SAJAKMU PUITIS MERANGSANG MINDA
JIWA KACAU TENANG SEMULA

KUIH KETAYAP INTI KELAPA
PENGAT DURIAN BUAT SERAWA
BUKAN MUDAH NAK LUPA TUAN
NAMA TERPAHAT DI DALAM JIWA

SIANG MALAM MABUK KEPAYANG
TERINGAT KASIH JAUH BERBATU
HIBA HATIKU BUKAN KEPALANG
MENGENANG NASIB DAGANG PIATU
(In memory of my late parents)

PATAH PASAK DI DALAM KEMUDI
PATAH RUANG BUNGA KIAMBANG
KALAU TIDAK KETEMU LAGI
JAGA DIRIMU WAHAI SAYANG!
(If I should go one day!)

I miss Ibu Yusni Jaafar so much - more than I can actually put in words. Sometimes even words failed me. The vaccuum I feel inside me made it impossible to pick the right words.

Yet, memories of Ibu follow me everywhere I go, every corner I turn. Even the orbituary I wrote was not enough. It was written in a hurry. Emotions like this one takes time to surface....So here's something I have always wanted to share but never got to doing it until its too late!

DON'T WEEP FOR ME...

I could almost hear that song
again and again
"Hello...Is it me you are looking for?'
It's as if Lionel Ritchie had penned it for you, Ibu!
Now that you are gone
IT shall be yours for eternity

You asked me, if I could keep a secret
"Its all about me and the past
But please don't let them know"
Keep it tight within you
Even if they blame you
For what I have told you
They will understand eventually!

This is what your heart desires...
Do not weep for me
Tell them it's all over
All my sufferings..
I trust they will not doubt me
Now that Im gone

Ibu,
I will make allowance for their doubts
You can't wait no more
so tired of waiting
the calling is so great and so near
you have to let go...

I don't lie and I hate lies
I don't give way to hate
because I don't know how to
But when you were here Ibu
You gave way to hating,
And yet they don't look too good
nor sound too wise

Ibu
Its only now I am 'free'
to talk about you
and your virtues
and that 'missing link'
If loving kids can hurt you
If friends count but none too much
If you can find the courage
to forgive and forget
for that one second
You are the noble one...

HE took you away
And left us with this void
As I tried to close my eyes
quenched my breath
and blink a tear or two
in memory of you

I shall pass HIM too
one day
But I WILL never forget
your rendezvous with Death
months ago

On some scarred slope of battered hill
When the first pain appears
I was there for you
Then the first scar
and the first horrid sign
and ugly tales followed
after you
everyone heard it too
But I sealed my lips for you!

God knows better
to keep you safe
and give you happiness
with silk pillows and scented jasmines
Your love throbs out in blissful sleep

Your pain, your pulse and breath
Were all hushed awakenings for us
Then news
of your rendezvous with Death
At past midnight
flamed the town
As I pledged my word for you
I shall not fail you
and talk about the Death rendezvous
AGAIN...to anyone

Now that you are gone
I can't even stop one heart from breaking,
But I know I will be living in vain
If I can't ease the ache
Or soothe the agony of one daughter
who misses her mother so
But then again
you said, "Don't weep for me!"