I have translated my own poems into English. Most of the translated works have been published in a book entittled Menghadap ke Pelabuhan/ Facing The Harbour. The book is first printed in 2010 by Institute of Translations and Books, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
The poems featured here have been written after Menghadap ke Pelabuhan/Facing The Harbour. They have been included in a book A Journey Through Prose and Poetry , co published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Malaysia and IIUM Press in 2018. IIUM stands for International Islamic University Malaysia.
Generation Without Nostalgia speaks of our kids today. Everyday they are left behind by their parents who have to work and struggle in this modern world. The house helps are sometime not trustworthy. The parents come home late due to heavy traffic on the road and the children were confused whether their parents truly love them.
One particular incident mentioned in the poem is when the child impatiently waited for her parents to arrive home to hand them an invitation to the prize giving ceremony. She thought the news that she has acheived top position in class would make them happy and proud. They seemed happy when they first heard the news and praised their daughter for beating her classmates. But that night the she heard them arguing as to who should attend the ceremony. Father said he has a very important appointment while mother shouted why it must be her who sacrificed all the time. She too has to take care of her career and profession. Apparently both of them are ambitious.
The poor child could not take anymore. She was heart broken.
GENERATION WITHOUT NOSTALGIA
I have heard
My Mom and Dad telling stories
Of their childhood days
In a village far away
With their parents and grandparents,
full of affections
of nights that passed by
in cradles and lullaby
Their childhood must have been
A wide field of nostalgia
Lush garden of memories
How they often said
That Childhood time
is most happy and fun
In the life of everyone
I listen and think again
When I grow up
What stories will I tell
To my offspring
No, probably I will not tell anything
Perhaps I will not mention a word
about my childhood
Let the pictures dispersed
my little sister crying every morning
and mama restless and rushing
push her towards our maid
and the maids are always changing.
I do not want to remember
How I cuddled to my father
To say something like I miss him
I trembled when he screamed
I have spoiled his concentration
On his favourite show on television
I will not recall how the servant
Fierce and stern
Drove me and little sister to our room
Telling us to remain in silent
I was desperate when sister said
“Kakak I am hungry my tummy ached”
But we did not dare to speak out
Just praying for mama to show up
But in the evening
Mama would phone home complaining
There is a prolonged meeting
Or traffic congestion on Federal Highway
Almost everyday
What is the use recalling the happy morning
I obtained exam result
that should make every parents proud
I was impatient, waiting for my parents
As soon as I heard the car
I ran to hand a letter of invitation
To the ceremony of prize presentation
I was hugged in praise and admiration
That I have beaten other children
I was full of excitement
Until later I heard my parents in argument
Dad said 'You have to go the school alone
That very day I am meeting the Minister.
It's not easy to get another appointment "
And mama replied almost shouting
"It is always me who has to do everything
Its always me who give in
Put off work, sacrifice my performance record
And not appreciated "
They shouted at each other
I could not bear to hear
I had hoped to bring joy with my achievement
but it brought burden and argument.
Day after day
Deprived of tender loving care
We grow up and mature
Into generation without nostalgia.
(original tittle: Generasi Tanpa Nostalgia)
GENERASI TANPA NOSTALGIA
Pernah juga aku mendengar
Mama dan ayah bercerita
Tentang masa kecil mereka
tentang kampung nan jauh di mata
bersama nenek, atuk dan moyang
yang penyayang
Mendodoikan mereka
dengan nazam dan bauaian
Kiranya masakecil mereka
padang luas nostalgia
Taman rimbun kenangan
Pernah kudengar
Kata orang dewasa
Zaman kanak-kanak
adalah waktu paling bahagia
Dalam hidup setiap manusia.
Aku mendengar dan memikir sendiri
Bila aku dewasa kelak
Apakah yang akan kuceritakan
kepada anak-anak
Tidak ,aku tidak akan bercerita apa-apa
Bahkan aku mungkin tidak akan menyebut
perihal masakecilku
Biar menjadi gambar-gambar yang pecah
Setiap pagi adik menangis
dan mama dengan resah
Menolaknya
ke dukungan pembantu rumah
Yang kerap pula berubah
Aku tidak mahu mengenang
Suara ayah yang garang
Menyuruh kami diam
Ketika dia terpaku di hadapan
Rancangan kegemaran
Tidak perlu kuingat
Suara bibik yang mengherdik
Menghalau aku dan adik ke bilik
Berjam-jam tidak berani keluar
Sedihnya bila adik menggeletar
‘kakak saya lapar’
Tapi kami tidak berani meminta
Hanya berdoa mama akan tiba
Namun seperti biasa
Telefon berdering mama di talian
Ada mesyuarat yang berpanjangan
Atau Federal Highway sesak lagi
Hampir setiap hari
Untuk apa bercerita tentang pagi yang riang
Aku diumumkan penerima hadiah cemerlang
Sungguh lama menunggu mama pulang
Dan sekujur mendengar kereta di halaman
Aku berlarian menghulurkan surat jemputan
Ibu dan ayah memelukku dan memuji
Anak bijak anak kebanggaan.
Aku gembira sehingga malamnya
Terdengar ayah berkata
‘Mama sajalah pergi
hari itu saya jumpa Menteri.
Bukan senang mendapat temujanji”
Dan mama membalas suaranya keras
“selalu saya sahaja ke sekolah
Selalu saya saja yang mengalah
Menangguh kerja berkorban apa saja
Terjejas prestasi
tak pernah dihargai”
Mereka terus bertengkar
aku tak sanggup mendengar
kejayaanku tidak membawa kebahagiaan
tetapi satu bebanan.
Hari demi hari
Kami tidak sempat bermanja
Dan akan dewasa
menjadi generasi tanpa nostalgia.
OF HISTORY AND POETRY
As they have written in history books
Men have built many empires
And fought unending wars
The winners ruled nations
The loosers staged rebellions
The winners shall write history
The loosers shall write poetry.
(original tittle: Sejarah dan Sajak)
SEJARAH DAN SAJAK
Tamadun demi tamadun terbina
Perang demi perang berulang
Yang menang menjadi pemerintah
Yang kalah menjadi pendesak..
Yang menang akan menulis sejarah
Yang kalah akan menulis sajak
MULTI LEVEL MARKETING
They turned their family members
And all their neighbours
Into potential customers
They turned their neighbourhood
And streets
Into open markets
It is not product that they promote
But dreams and hopes
MLM they called the enterprise
Where the first level thrive
The middle level survive
And the lowest level victimised.
(original tittle: Tentang MLM)
TENTANG MLM
Mereka menukar kaum keluarga
Dan jiran tetangga
Menjadi pasar terbuka
Yang dijual bukan barangan
Tapi mimpi dan harapan
MLM adalah cara berniaga
Yang di atas menjadi kuasa
Yang di tengah sempat merasa
Yang di bawah adalah mangsa.
