ZURINAH HASSAN: POEMS AND TRANSLATIONS

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.

 

 OTHER POEMS. 

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

 Menyingkap peta dan riwayat

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.