Rectoverso - Selamat Ulang Tahun

Ribuan detik kuhabisi
Jalanan lengang kutentang
Oh, gelapnya, tiada yang buka
Adakah dunia mengerti?

Miliaran panah jarak kita
Tak jua tumbuh sayapku

Karena Waktu Menolak Mundur - from Rectoverso

“… Aku tidak tahu kemalangan jenis apa yang menimpa kamu, tapi aku ingin percaya ada insiden yang cukup dahsyat di dunia serba selular ini hingga kamu tidak bisa menghubungiku. Mungkinkah matahari lupa ingatan, lalu keasyikan terbenam atau terlambat terbit? Bahkan kiamat pun hanya berbicara soal arah yang terbalik, bukan soal perubahan jadwal.” [Dee, Recto Verso]

Aku tahu, kau tidak menggugatku serupa itu. Kita menetap di kolong langit yang sama dan melihat siklus edar matahari yang senada. Dan kau pun, meski terkadang childish, bukanlah sosok melankolis atau sok filosofis yang senang merumit-rumitkan kalimat untuk memaafkan kealpaan seseorang. Kau bukan orang yang suka memparodikan kegetiran diri seperti yang acap kulakoni. Meski kita pernah

Rectoverso - Curhat untuk Sahabat

...Tak ada yang muluk dari obat flu dan air putih. Tapi kamu mempertanyakannya seperti putri minta dibuatkan seribu candi dalam semalam."
Sahabatku, usai tawa ini
Izinkan aku bercerita:

Telah jauh, ku mendaki
Sesak udara di atas puncak khayalan
Jangan sampai kau di sana

Rectoverso - Aku Ada

"...Dengarkah kamu? Aku ada. Aku masih ada. Aku selalu ada. Rasakan aku, sebut namaku seperti mantra yang meruncing menuju satu titik untuk kemudian melebur, meluber, dan melebar. Rasakan perasaanku yang bergerak bersama alam untuk menyapamu."

Melukiskanmu saat senja
Memanggil namamu ke ujung dunia
Tiada yang lebih pilu

Rectoverso - HAnya Isyarat

Ku coba semua, segala cara
Kau membelakangiku
Ku nikmati bayangmu
Itulah saja cara yang bisa
Untuk kumenghayatimu
Untuk mencintaimu

Sesaat dunia jadi tiada
Hanya diriku yang mengamatimu

Rectoverso - Malaikat juga tau

Lelahmu...jadi lelahku juga
Bahagiamu...bahagiaku pasti
Berbagi takdir kita selalu
Kecuali tiap kau jatuh hati

Kali ini hampir habis dayaku
Membuktikan padamu ada cinta yang nyata

Rectoverso - Peluk

"... Rasakan semua, demikian pinta sang hati. Amarah atau asmara, kasih atau pedih, segalanya indah jika memang tepat pada waktunya. Dan inilah hatiku pada dini hari yang hening. Bening. Apa adanya."


Menahun, ku tunggu kata-kata
Yang merangkum semua
Dan kini ku harap ku dimengerti
Walau sekali saja pelukku

Rectoverso - Grow a Day Older

"... When I was in complete surrender of who I am, the helpless idiot venturing her endless lessons of love and life. When I was thankful that he would grow a day older and see what a mess I could be. And I can feel I am arriving in that moment again, right now, as I am cuddled like his Teddy, and still not knowing what to do or what to decide."


See the sunrise
Know it's time for us to pack up all the past
And find what truly lasts

Rectoverso - Cicak di Dinding

"... Lelaki itu kemudian mulai melukis, sampai lewat tengah malam, hingga tertidur lelah di lantai studio. Namun ada kelegaan luar biasa yang takkan bisa dikatakannya, melampaui kemampuan rangkum nada atau kata, surat cinta, bahkan rencana sehidup semati. Dalam studio itu, akhirnya ia mengetahui apa yang ia inginkan. Bahagia dengan satu kejujuran. Kemudian berserah dalam ketakberdayaan. Ia bahkan tidur sambil tersenyum."


Nada dan puisi datang dan pergi menghampirimu
Tiada yang mampu merengkuh arti dan isi hati

Rectoverso - Firasat

"...Aku teringat detik-detik yang kugenggam. Hangat senyumnya, napasnya, tubuhnya, dan hujan ini mengguyur semua hangat itu, menghanyutkannya bersama air sungai, bermuara entah ke mana. Hujan mendobrak paksa genggamanku dan merampas milikku yang paling berharga. Hujan bahkan membasuh air mata yang belum ada. Membuatku seolah-olah menangis. Aku tidak ingin menangis. Aku hanya ingin ia pulang. Cepat pulang. Jangan pergi lagi."


Kemarin, kulihat awan membentuk wajahmu
Desau angin meniupkan namamu
Tubuhku terpaku

Rectoverso - Tidur

"...Terlalu lama kita hidup menjadi bayang-bayang bagi satu sama lain. Biarkan aku mendekati kalian dengan perlahan, sampai pagi terbit bagi kita bersama. Tak ada lagi bayangan. Kita lebur dalam kenyataan."

Tak perlu kau bangun dari tidurmu
Tak usah bersuara menyambutku
Ku cukup bahagia berada di sini
Di sisimu, memandangmu,
Tanpa perlu kau tahu

Rectoverso - Back to Heaven´s Light

Once in a dream, I saw you telling me
That you've traveled in the dark
Just to find that little spot
How you'd settle for a light
In the vastness of the night
Then I saw some tears were coming from you eyes
As you said you'd found your paradise
And I began to ask you : why you have to cry ?

How to Start an English Club

Why start an English Club?

Use what you learn
An English Club is a place for language learners to use English in a casual setting. Practising your skills in the classroom is important, but it is not like real life. In the classroom, you often focus on one skill and one item (for example: grammar - future tense). After learning the rules your teacher gives you time to practise using the item. You have your papers in front of you and the rules are fresh in your mind. Will you remember how to use your skills next week, or next year? In an English Club, you

Pengorbanan Orang Tua

Pukul 03.00 pagi aku dibangunkan suara derit pintu depan yang terbuka, rumah kami kecil dan berdinding kayu yang sederhana tidak akan dapat menyembunyikan suara derit pintu manapun yang dibuka. Aku juga mendengar desir rantai dan roda motor butut kami yang didorong melewati depan pintu kamarku keluar ke halaman lalu suara pintu depan ditutup dan dikunci, aku mendengar derit pelan pintu pagar kawat seadanya yang dipasang ayah untuk mencegah kambing masuk ke halaman dan memakan tanaman-tanaman milik ibu. Aku tahu motor itu dituntun menjauh dari rumah kami lalu

Burung Gagak

Di suatu sore yang indah, duduk seorang ibu setengah baya bersama anaknya dipelataran rumah, Anak sang ibu baru saja pulang dari kota besar setelah sekian lama menuntut ilmu. Diwajah ibu yang sudah mulai berkerut tampak rasa bahagia mendapatkan anaknya sudah menjadi sarjana, mereka anak dan ibu berbincang-bincang sambil melepaskan kangen. Tampak si anak begitu bersemangat bercerita pengalamannya selama berada di luar kota dan ibunya pun mendengarkan dengan terkagum-kagum. tiba-tiba diranting pohon depan rumahnya hinggap seekor burung yang sedang mengepakan sayapnya.

Kid

Sometimes I wish I were a little kid again, skinned knees are easier to fix 

than broken hearts..

Role of Speakers

Roles of speakers mostly depend on the format. However, there are some common characteristics of certain roles of certain speakers which will be briefly discussed here. A more comprehensive explanation of the roles of speakers will be given in separate lectures about the formats.

Individual Speech Structure

An effectively structured speech will have the following features (neither compulsory nor exhaustive):

• an interesting opening which captures the attention of the audience or helps it to warm to the speaker;

Rebuttal

Rebuttal is the process of proving that the opposing team's arguments should be accorded less weight than is claimed for them. It may consist of:
•    showing that the opposing argument is based on an error of fact or an erroneous interpretation of fact;
•    showing that the opposing argument is irrelevant to the proof of the topic;
•    showing that the opposing argument is illogical, i.e. it involves some form of logical fallacy;
•    showing that the opposing argument, while itself correct, involves unacceptable implications;
•    showing that the opposing argument, while itself correct, should be accorded little weight;

Contents of Speech in Debate

Definition
Before a debate ensues, the motion that is given must first be defined by the Affirmative team. A definition clarifies the motion. A definition gives a clear description of boundaries to the motion, thereby limiting what the debate will be about into a focused area of discussion. This prevents the debate from turning into a vague and confusing show of unrelated arguments and different interpretations from both teams of what is actually being debated among them.

Motion

Motion, also known as topic, is a full propositional statement that determine what a debate shall be about. In the debate, the Affirmative team must argue to defend the propositional statement of the motion, and the Negative team must argue to oppose it. Examples of motions are:
•    That cigarette companies should not be held responsible for the bad effects of smoking.
•    That football is overvalued in today’s society.
•    That American pop culture is a threat to civilization.
•    That long is better than short.
Please note that a motion should always be in the form of a statement, not question or phrase. "That …" can also be read as "This House believes that …" or "Be it resolved that …". Motions are always for the Affirmative; the Negative would negate the statement, as in "That it is not true that …".

Cases of Debate

In competitive debating, it is not enough for a team to simply deliver individual speeches without any structure. A team is expected to bring what is called a case. As in the legal world, a case is the collection of arguments (including facts, examples, and logical explanations) coherently based on a main idea.
A case is constructed to propose (or oppose) the motion given in a debate. In collegiate level competitions, debaters are usually given 15 to 30 minutes time to prepare their debates. During this preparation time, both teams will build their cases. It is this casebuilding process that we would discuss here.

Understanding Formats of Debate

To ensure proper conduct of the debates in a competitive setting, competitions usually enforce what is called a format. In collegiate level competitive debating, these formats are usually based on the debates conducted in a parliament, such as Australian Parliamentary, British Parliamentary, and Asian Parliamentary. Aspects regulated by a format include:

Tips on Debating

1. You must speak clearly and loudly enough so that your voice can be heard by everyone. Remember the adjudicators will sit towards the rear of the hall so at the very least they must be able to hear what you are saying if you are to have any chance of winning. However you shouldn't shout as the halls have generally been designed so that your voice will carry towards the back.

Introduction to BP Debate System

Introduction:

This guide is aimed primarily at those of you who have little to no British Parliamentary experience. It is intended to illustrate the mechanics and basic tactics of BP. Sometimes beginners can be discouraged by BP because of various factors in the round. But BP done well can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and trying BP can improve the way you debate in other styles.