Jakarta – On December 20, LSPR LP3M Centre for Publication held online Book Soft-Launching “Buku Kumpulan Puisi Komunikasi Melawan Pandemi” which is an anthology of poetries by LSPR Lecturers. The event is moderated by Mr. Arief Bakri, LSPR Lecturer and followed with discussion session about “Poetry as Self-expression during Pandemic” with Ms. D Kumalawati, a modern poet & management member of Aceh Arts Council, and Mr. Jose Rizal Manua, an artist & poet, as speakers. The event is started by Opening Speech from Dr. Rudi Sukandar, Director of LSPR LP3M followed by review on a few of the poems in the book by the speakers. During the discussion, Ms. D shares about how she writes poems aside for self-expression, also for therapeutic means in facing difficulties, like during Aceh conflict, tsunami disaster, and during 2020 pandemic. There is also questions by participants about whether it is good or bad to write a poem during emotional state in which Mr. Jose answered that the important point is to reflect on the topic of the poetry prior to writing it. “The idea may has appeared long before the poem starts to be written down, or written down as soon as it appears, but it needs time to be reflected on before it is finished.”  The discussion was then followed by the speakers and lecturers reciting the poems in the book. Mr. Jose recited the poem written by Mr. Arief Bakri. It is then followed by lecturers such as Ms. Linda Fakhry, Dr. Rudi Sukandar, Dr. Susilowati Natakoesoemah, Mr. Hilmi Faiq, Dr. Lestari Nurhajai, Dr. Lestari Nurhajati, Ms. Elke Alexandrina, Ms. Ita Baradja, Ms. Xenia A. Wijayanto, and Mr. Arief Bakri. The event then closed by Ms. D who recited the poem written by Mr. Arif Susanto.

Ms. D Kumalawati shares her experience writing poems during difficult times as self-expression and for therapeutic means