 In Buah Rindu, Amir shows an affinity for using traditional Malay poetic forms such as the quatrain, but unlike the highly fixed traditional forms, he mixes the rhyming patterns. The text is dominated by terms related to love and searching, and according to Dutch scholar of Indonesian literature A. Teeuw the collection is united by a theme of longing. Johns states that the imagery in Buah Rindu is dependent on traditional Malay literature, and that Amir's terminology is heavily influenced by classical Malay poetry. The author's use of language is also notably coloured by Javanese terms and ideas, and another source of influence appears to be Indian literature, with references to Hindu gods and goddesses.
