International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Page 142

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES
SPRING 2016
Such chaos will bring the nation to its knees as the powerful men will not allow the
desecration of the women they own.
His Catholic upbringing is evident in a number of his poems, including Khotbahor
Sermon, 1968. This, too, is an extended narrative style poem. Despite the heat of the day, a
young priest is described in beatific terms but his words perplex the parishioners
‘”Now let us disperse.
There is no sermon today.”’

(Ibid.p.3)

The parishioners remained in their seats,
‘Their mouths hung open
they stopped praying
but they all wanted to hear.’

(Ibid.)

It is as though the populous wanted to be reassured by the old institutions in which they
had had staunch faith but, suddenly, nothing was forthcoming. The silence does not last:
‘Then all at once they complained
and together with the strange voice from their mouths
came a foul stench
which had to be quickly stifled.’

(Ibid.)

Rendra is again using a religious metaphor to speak of the division within his country. Most
lines are short sentences and he frequently begins a set of sentences with the same
pronoun:
‘their faces looked sad.
Their eyes questioned.
Their mouths gaped’ (Ibid.p.5)
Direct speech is used by the priest and the parishioners are silent. Only their demeanour
expresses the will of the people.
The priest is the people’s leader. The parishioners want so much more from their leader but
he seemingly has nothing constructive to offer. He is young with still so much to offer and
he needs time to
‘meditate on the glory of God.’

(Ibid.p.3)

The reader can sense the increasing fear and desperation of the priest:
‘Father.Father. Why hast Thou forsaken me?’

(Ibid.p.5)

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