Writing | Menulis

By and | 4 November 2012

Writing

I plane planks of letters
to build a fortress in your heart
a place constructed entirely of words
of utter and stolid conviction

here you will not tire
of counting the days
because unless you start
all traces will lose their meaning
and the things that are now worn out
will turn to trash on an endless plain

I plane planks of letters
and whether I am able or not able
I still try

Menulis

aku menarah sejagat huruf
untuk membangun benteng di hatimu
tempat sekotah benda berkata-kata
dengan benak- hati penuh kukuh

di sini
tak ‘kan jemu kau mengaji hari
karena kecuali mulai
seluruh jejak kehilangan arti
bahkan bagi sesuatu yang usai
jadi sumpah seranah tiada henti

aku menarah sejagat huruf
dapat tak dapat
dapat

1986

English translation by John H. McGlynn

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