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KUALI HITAM/ A FRYING PAN/ LA POELE A FRIRE
Poems carry thoughts
expressed in many ways. This is an example of a poem being expressed through a
common object in any kitchen that is a frying pan. But the thoughts and message delivered is not
only the service of the utensil but a mother’s love and sacrifices in bringing up her children. The poet says that a frying pan in the
kitchen where she was born was her was her mother’s best friend
The poet remembered
how her mother worked hard in the kitchen and around the house and may be in
the field so that her children have something to eat. Nothing pleased her mum more
than to see them enjoying their food.
But they were too
young then to see the depth of mother’s sacrifice. They did not
realize that the mother who hugged
them lovingly suffered physically due to exposure to the fire in the kitchen
year after year. The soot and smoke were hurting her eyes. The skin scraped by
the hot oil. More than that when they
were peacefully snoring at nights the mother could not sleep. She coughed till
the early hours since her lungs have been scratched by smoke and ashes.
The poet grew up and live in the city with her modern
kitchen with shiny stainless frying pan /woks. One day the aged mother came and
as usual tried to be as helpful and useful.
The mother cooked and after the meal washed the dishes. This is where the sad thing
happened. The mother scrubbed a pan with a bristle brush the way she did at home.
The poet was alarmed and cried out that the
mother has ruined her costly utensil. The
mother was very hurt .
A few years later when
her mother has returned to the Lord, the poet was in deep remorse. She realized
her mistakes. How could she raise her voice
to a mother who have gone through such hardship to feed them. How could
she have valued a cooking utensil more than a mother’s love.
KUALI HITAM
Sebiji kuali hitam
di dapur rumah kelahiran
adalah teman ibuku
siang dan malam
Sebiji kuali hitam
terjerang di atas tungku
adalah penghibur ibu
ketika kami menunggu
Sebiji kuali hitam
di atas api siang dan malam
tahun demi tahun
kami tidak pernah
menghitung
Seorang ibu yang menyayangi sebiji kuali
sering memeluk kami
pernahkah kami
perhatikan
matanya yang ditikam serbuk arang
kulitnya yang dikoyak percikan minyak
lengannya yang diserap abu hitam
dahinya yang disengat pucuk api
kami hanya tahu lena kekenyangan
ketika tidur ibu diketuk-ketuk
oleh lelah dan
batuk
setelah
asap dan abu menggaru-garu
di
paru-paru
Kami tidak pernah
menyedari
dan ibu pun tidak
peduli
dia hanya tahu
merasa bahagia
melihat kami
keriangan
menunggu sesuatu
akan terhidang
dan tidak ada yang
lebih membahagiakan
dari melihat kami
kekenyangan
Begitulah tahun
demi tahun
kuali yang setia menjalankan tugasnya
hingga kami dewasa dan hidup di kota
(2)
Kini di dapur rumahku yang bersih
tak ada kuali hitam yang hodoh
cuma pada kesempatan
yang tidak selalu
sempat
aku memasak untuk anak-anak
dengan kuali non-stick
yang tebal dan
mahal
dan sesudah itu
membasuhnya
dengan sabun yang
lembut
berhati-hati
seperti memandikan bayi
mengikut
arahan pada buku panduan
Suatu hari ibu ke
rumahku
dengan kerajinannya yang biasa
memasak untuk kami sekeluarga
cucu-cucunya ternyata amat berselera
dan ibu merasa terlalu bahagia
Dan sesudah itu
dengan cara yang
dia tahu
mengemas dan merapikan dapurku
dan seperti yang biasa dibuat
pada kualinya di kampung
dia menyental kualiku yang mahal
dengan berus yang kesat
dan spontan aku
menjerit
"Ibu
merosakkan kuali saga
tahukah ibu berapa
harganya?"
Ibu terdiam
barangkali hatinya
terguris
barangkali dia hampir menangis
melihat wajahku yang bengis
(3)
Dan
kini
setelah ibu
kembali kepada Ilahi
aku menyesali
keterlanjuran
kiranya
aku telah mengukur kasih sayang ibu
dengan
harga sebiji kuali
Ibu telah tiada
kuali
hitam tergantung sepi
di
dinding dapur rumah tua
bolehkah
kami menghitung
berapa
harganya
BELOW: ME AND TRANSLATOR JEAN SEVERY
IN REGARDANT LE PORT PUBLISHED BY ITBM MALAYSIA AND L HARMATTAN, PARIS
There are 49 poems in the book. Next entry I shall be talking on a short story translated into French. Orginal tittle is Bendang Lahuma.
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