FRAGMENTARY AESTHETICS AND LYRICISM IN APITO LAHIRE’S POETRY

Abstract

Apito Lahire’s poems offer a unique fusion between fragmentary aesthetics and lyrical language. This study examines the works of the poet from Tegal, Central Java, published in Buletin Kelelawar #2 (January 2010) under the title “Sekarang Menulis, Besok Tidur” (“Writing Now, Sleeping Tomorrow”), with the aim of revealing how fragmentary aesthetics and lyricism are manifested in four of his poems: “Filsafat Cinta” (Philosophy of Love), “surat kesembilan hanya buat nyinyik” (the ninth letter only for Nyinyik), “surat kesepuluh, nyinyik” (the tenth letter, Nyinyik), and “surat keenambelas bagi nyinyik” (the sixteenth letter for Nyinyik). These poems attempt to present fragmented poetic idioms—disjointed and partial structures that can be referred to as fragmentary constructs—while at the same time preserving emotional intensity through expressive and powerful lyrical language. This research employed a descriptive-qualitative method with stylistic and semiotic approaches to examine the linguistic structures, rhetorical styles, and symbolic meanings that emerge in the poems. The findings show that Apito Lahire’s poetry offers an interplay between fragmentary aesthetics and lyricism. Fragmentary aesthetics are characterized by seemingly broken and repetitive utterances with conversational tones, while lyricism emerges through emotional intensity, repetitions of love expressions, and prayers that evoke spiritual nuances. Thus, Apito Lahire’s poetry demonstrates that poetics do not always manifest in purely linear and coherent forms, but can also be expressed through fragments of language deliberately constructed to create reflective and emotional spaces. The findings of this study affirm that Apito Lahire’s works contribute to enriching the landscape of contemporary Indonesian poetry through aesthetic strategies that diverge from common tendencies. Apito Lahire does not merely present poetry as a medium of personal expression, but also as a space for formal experimentation that challenges the way readers comprehend poetic texts. The fragmentary aesthetics he employs do not necessarily render his poetry difficult to understand; rather, they open up possibilities for multilayered interpretations, while the underlying lyrical language offers emotional depth capable of touching the reader’s inner experience. Thus, Apito Lahire’s works are not only significant within the framework of stylistic and semiotic studies but also within the broader context of literary aesthetics, as they provide new insights into how poetry can continually transform in response to the dynamics of time without losing its reflective and spiritual power.