Candra Malik

Poets Court Lyrical Support to Help Quake Victims

Solo. The Indonesian Literature Community is seeking contributions for a book of poetry it plans to publish recounting last month’s earthquake in West Sumatra.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to earthquake victims .

Through social networking site Facebook, the chairman of the community, Ahmadun Yosi Herfanda, is inviting users to submit up to three pieces of writing to poet Kurnia Effendi.

Ahmadun and Kurnia said they were confident the project would be successful, having previously published a similar anthology after the 2006 quake in Yogyakarta, titled “Jogja 5.9 Richter Scale.”

Proceeds from that collection were donated to earthquake victims in Bantul and other areas of Yogyakarta.

“At the time, we managed to invite 100 well-known poets to contribute their best pieces on earthquakes and humanity,” Kurnia told the Jakarta Globe last week. “We published it on the 100th day after the quake in Yogyakarta.”

“Literature is a part of the birth, growth and development of a nation’s culture. With literature, we also ask the victims to awaken so that their traditions and culture will not also vanish,” he added.

In addition to selling the new collection at bookstores, the two are planning poetry readings.

Salbiah Sirait, a poet from Singapore, is also seeking contributions from the literary community for a book that she will publish herself, tentatively titled “Padang 7.6 Skala Richter.”

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