A couple years before Azizi Haji Abdullah passed away, we had a late night chit-chat at Bucu - a Mamak (Indian Muslim) restaurant near Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) - when that prolific writer came to KL. A few fellow writers joined us such as Ridzuan Harun, Lutfi Ishak and SM Zakir.
The most short-spoken person in our late night chit-chat was Ridzuan Harun. Ridzuan was so self-contained that Azizi had to jest with him, "Hang dok diam saja. Hang pi baliklah!" (You are so quiet. You go home!). Of course that sounded harsh, not to mention Azizi came that night with Ridzuan. But it was friendly enough for northern people to joke like that. And that joke will be repeating when Ridzuan choose to hold his tongue among us.
Nevertheless, Ridzuan Harun indeed is a quiet poet. His words came to the light in his poetry more than in shape of his voice. Yet when we talk about a poet who have much experience with others prominent authors who had passed away such as Azizi, T Alias Taib and Rahimidin Zahari; Ridzuan is among the best 'literary historian' in our country. Still we have to wait the best of him to come out in term of literary memoirs especially about those our best authors. He is currently a lecture at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan or National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA).
Until then, enjoy his poetry such as two poems that taken from Negeri Kunang-kunang or Country of Firefly* which won the first Writing Contest of Novel, Poetry and Short Story Compilation organized by Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM), Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (PENA) and Berita Harian (BH).
Pengkalan Kubor**
oleh Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub
Stand at your land in a slight sprinkle noon
facing the immigration counter
seing tourists flocking
to the row of duty-free shops
then came out smiling
with a handful of bargain buy.
I asked myself at the wall
at your other side, how are you
Takbai and Golok
is rainbow glaring the rays
or is there red spatter still staining
at the sky that had raged the dispute.
Country of Firefly
by Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub
Son, I brought you
to the country of firefly
during the day
only a murky river
sluggish flow
you bemoaned
there are no fireflies
even in it's country
I brought you here in a daylight
not to see the fireflies
but to watch
a friendship of flora and fauna
Look at berembang*** trees
grew side by side along the sluggish river
because of its, at the night
fireflies rise
with thousands of blinking lights
without berembang, there's no firefly
Now in here, look
how nature will guide you
about solitude and silentness
unification and solidarity
sharing and consideration
respect and trust
love and humanity
Nature will educate you
and make you understand
the meaningful of preserveration
subsistence and servitude
Tonight, taking you I will
for you to enjoy
thousands of natural's blinking neon
in country of firefly.
* Not yet translate
** A small town on Malaysia-Thailand border and separated by Golok river that easy enough to cross it
*** Sonneratia alba, a kind of mangrove tree
The most short-spoken person in our late night chit-chat was Ridzuan Harun. Ridzuan was so self-contained that Azizi had to jest with him, "Hang dok diam saja. Hang pi baliklah!" (You are so quiet. You go home!). Of course that sounded harsh, not to mention Azizi came that night with Ridzuan. But it was friendly enough for northern people to joke like that. And that joke will be repeating when Ridzuan choose to hold his tongue among us.
Nevertheless, Ridzuan Harun indeed is a quiet poet. His words came to the light in his poetry more than in shape of his voice. Yet when we talk about a poet who have much experience with others prominent authors who had passed away such as Azizi, T Alias Taib and Rahimidin Zahari; Ridzuan is among the best 'literary historian' in our country. Still we have to wait the best of him to come out in term of literary memoirs especially about those our best authors. He is currently a lecture at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan or National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA).
Until then, enjoy his poetry such as two poems that taken from Negeri Kunang-kunang or Country of Firefly* which won the first Writing Contest of Novel, Poetry and Short Story Compilation organized by Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM), Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (PENA) and Berita Harian (BH).
Pengkalan Kubor**
oleh Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub
Stand at your land in a slight sprinkle noon
facing the immigration counter
seing tourists flocking
to the row of duty-free shops
then came out smiling
with a handful of bargain buy.
I asked myself at the wall
at your other side, how are you
Takbai and Golok
is rainbow glaring the rays
or is there red spatter still staining
at the sky that had raged the dispute.
Country of Firefly
by Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub
Son, I brought you
to the country of firefly
during the day
only a murky river
sluggish flow
you bemoaned
there are no fireflies
even in it's country
I brought you here in a daylight
not to see the fireflies
but to watch
a friendship of flora and fauna
Look at berembang*** trees
grew side by side along the sluggish river
because of its, at the night
fireflies rise
with thousands of blinking lights
without berembang, there's no firefly
Now in here, look
how nature will guide you
about solitude and silentness
unification and solidarity
sharing and consideration
respect and trust
love and humanity
Nature will educate you
and make you understand
the meaningful of preserveration
subsistence and servitude
Tonight, taking you I will
for you to enjoy
thousands of natural's blinking neon
in country of firefly.
* Not yet translate
** A small town on Malaysia-Thailand border and separated by Golok river that easy enough to cross it
*** Sonneratia alba, a kind of mangrove tree
I agree with you. He is a great poet in the world and poet of the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteindeed.
Delete