Life, Laughter, and Lingering Absences in Jokpin’s Perjamuan Khong Guan

Among contemporary Indonesian writers, Joko Pinurbo—fondly known as Jokpin—remains a master of turning the ordinary into the absurdly profound. In Jokpin's Perjamuan Khong Guan, he delivers a four-part poetry collection filled with satire, wit, and social commentary. From critiques on the growth of urban spaces and political noise to the increasing alienation brought by digital life, Jokpin presents a poetic buffet that reflects the messiness of modern Indonesia with both humor and grief.

What makes Jokpin's Perjamuan Khong Guan especially memorable is how it reinvents familiar imagery. Everyday idioms are given ironic twists, while the legendary Khong Guan biscuit can becomes a metaphor for absence, nostalgia, and fractured family dynamics. Through playful language and quiet sorrow, Jokpin proves once again why he holds a special place among Indonesian writers—his poems aren't just read, they're felt.