POEMS FROM MALAYSIA

THIS ORATION, BRUTUS

Was Ceasar wrong in his judgment, Marcus Julius Brutus

But whatever your words about Caesar be

He was a just and loyal friend to me

You did see your defeat in the battle of Pharsalus

Did Caesar not forgive you then

And lifted you to the circle of respected statesman

When the politics in Caesar’s bones strengthen

And the power in his blood thicken

You joined them to dilute Caesar’s crown

Sending the hands that lifted you to the burial ground

Do you not hear their words, Brutus

You were never a great thinker

For trivial reason you detest Caesar.

You argued to be torn between the power of devotion
what is right for Rome and your conviction
your feeling for Caesar and his fatherly affection.

I shall sow the seed of confusion in my funeral oration

Your honesty and Cassius’s be doubted by every Roman

I shall stir their hearts with agitations

with rhetoric and questions 

you detested Caesar for having ambitions

So let me bend the feeling of our countryman

Towards the essence of my oration

And from the essence a fire will burn.  

 (II)

 Yes me too, Markus Antonius

Who spill the blood of noble Caesar

And you call me a  traitor

While my belief in truth
is tearing the character of my youth.
this is a cross road of doubts a terrible dilemma

it is not easy to be young and rebellious
in the waves of political surges. .

Forgive me Markus Antonius

I have to decide and choose my side.

_______________________________________

 RAIHANI MOHD SAAID

original tittle: Pidato Ini Brutus

Apakah Caesar telah silap menghakimimu, Marcus Junius Brutus?
Apa-apa pun yang kalian bicarakan tentang Caesar
dia sahabat yang setia dan adil bagiku
ketika kau kecundang dalam pertempuran Pharsalus
Caesar memaafkanmu
dan mengangkatmu ke dalam lingkaran negarawan terhormat.

Ketika tulang siasah Caesar makin mengejap
dan darah kuasanya makin belikat
kau berganding mencairkan mahkota Caesar
tangan yang mengangkatmu telah kau kirim ke pusara.
tidakkah kau dengar bicara mereka, Brutus
kau hanyalah pemikir kerdil
yang membenci Caesar atas alasan kecil.
Hujahmu, kau terjepit antara teguhnya sebuah kepercayaan
tentang apa-apa yang benar bagimu dan Romawi
dengan setia kasih kepada watak kebapaan Caesar.

Aku akan menanam benih ragu dalam pidato pemakaman ini
kejujuranmu dan Cassius akan dipersoal warga Romawi
akan kugugah nuraga mereka
dengan soalan dan retorik.
Kaumurka kerana Caesar terlalu bercita-cita
laluku bentur pucuk nubari warga
ke arah zat pidatoku
zat ini akan menjadi api.

(II)
Ya, aku juga Markus Antonius!
yang telah mengucurkan darah Caesar Agung.
kau akan memanggilku pengkhianat
sedang kepercayaanku kepada kebenaran
sering mengoyak watak muda.
ini persimpangan maha keliru, dilema maha dahsyat
sungguh sukar menjadi muda dan pemberontak
dalam goncangan siasah yang berombak.

Maaf, Markus Antonius
aku harus bersikap dan berpihak.

A poem by Raihani Mohd.Saaid translated by Zurinah Hassan

The poet RAIHANI MOHD SAAID.