Journey with Tora Bika by Larissa Lumandan

A poem inspired by a pleasant journey on a train from Jakarta to Bandung.

First published in Pandan Weekly in July 2024.

​From the author:

This poem was inspired by my journey on a panoramic train from Jakarta to Bandung on my vacation in Indonesia last year. It was my first experience on such a train, and during the trip, we were served Tora Bika coffee. The aroma of the coffee was delightful, and I even purchased a few packets to take back home to Malaysia with me. A few days after returning to work, I found myself reminiscing about the picturesque scenery and beautiful nature of Indonesia while sipping the Tora Bika coffee. This led to my writing of this poem, inviting readers to reflect on the significance of finding beauty in the often overlooked details of everyday life — much like the quote on the coffee cup I saw during my trip.

The Tora Bika cappuccino I sipped at 7:22 a.m.
Reminded me of its taste on the train
The sweetness, I thought, I finally found a lover
Freshly brewed and warm 
Akin to the sun, gleaming brightly on my lap
My hands crossed, the air was cold
But the kind words on the coffee cup caressed my soul
Untangled the knots that once were tight

Yang ku tau, kamu adalah anugerah, 
anugerah dari semesta, yang sangat sulit diartikan logika

Passing by paddy fields and farms — all in lines
Murky rivers and angry mountains 
Children waving and adults watching
Weathered wooden houses built closely, their poles held tightly 
I thought: I could go on like this forever!
But it was only six hours long
As the engine continued to roar, I closed my eyes
Thinking when will I be back again

Note:

Yang ku tau, kamu adalah anugerah,
anugerah dari semesta, yang sangat sulit diartikan logika

What I know is, you are a blessing,
a blessing from the universe, that is very difficult to explain logically.

Larissa Lumandan, a native of Northern Borneo, has a deep-rooted passion for poetry and writing. She started writing short stories at the age of ten and later moved on to poems during her teenage years. She enjoys exploring the art of writing by using symbols, metaphors and imagery, particularly nature, in her works. An avid explorer, she is also currently expanding her horizons in nature and street photography. She is based in Kuala Lumpur with her blue-eyed cat, Landon.

Instagram: @larissa.lumandan

Thank you for reading!

Pandan Weekly is a bi-annual zine and weekly email series produced by SEA Lit Circle, a community of writers and readers from Southeast Asia and the diaspora. At SEA Lit Circle, we inspire each other to write fresh, compelling work that’s true to ourselves, and we encourage each other to read and be more open to new works, stories, and perspectives within and beyond the region.

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