QUARTERED AT QUATRAINS

Bloggers:1, our chat room entered a new dimension on Saturday when the first real-time "Berbalas Pantun" took place in cyberspace.

It was a slow day. Regular chatters were enjoying the first Saturday of the month either out or still sleeping in. When I got into the room, only Elisa was in the room. Elisa is a Malaysian working in the Land of The Midnight Sun and she sometimes leave her pc on even though she is off. Then Kak Teh came in and congratulated Elisa on being th enewest member of Rantauan, a network of Malaysians abroad. Whether there are broad Malaysians in there, I would not know. Anyway, Kak Teh told Elisa that one of the activities of Rantauan is "Berbalas Pantun" with people representing the continent they are currently on taking on the people in other continents, Europe versus America etc. You get the idea. Kak Teh then asked to "Berbalas Pantun" with Elisa. Elisa modestly declined and Kak Teh, in a pantun mood took me as the substitute sparring partner.

Kak Teh:
Beli sayur pergi ke kedai
Jalan sedikit sudah penat
Apa ilmu pok ku pakai
Radio Pencen pun ramai peminat

the reply was prompt enough:

Bawak raga selalu penat
Penuh sarat bunga seroja
Mana ada ramai peminat
Sekali dengar, lima sahaja

Kak Teh then urged Elisa to come up with a pantun but again, Elisa declined and I tried to make an excuse for her:

Cantik sungguh anak mak eton
Pakai sari berlilit lilit
Hari ni lisa tak leh berpantun
Minum tea, dah jadi sembelit

which set off an exchange of what Kak Teh called Lavatorial Pantuns like these:

Kak Teh:
Kalau tak tahu sering bertanya
Kalau tak tanya tak ada idea
Sembelit senang saja ubatnya
Minum julap jalanlah dia

Pok Ku:
Ada idea boleh digilap
Bila digilap berchahaya cahaya
Hati hati memakan julap
Silap julap berjalan tuannya

And finally there were pantuns involving my teeth (or lack of) which , fortunately, could not be saved (The pantun, not the teeth. My teeth, according to my dentist are on their last gnaw and beyond redemption.)