berjuta kelpak cahaya telah kau taburkan

pagi petang senja

di dalamnya ada rahsia

menjelma di dalam terang

aku sedang melihat-lihat di tanganku

kalau ada kelopakmu. Sejambak terang

kerana sukmamu selamanya sedang berburu

makna terang selamanya keliru menilai

warna mentari di dalam terang siang

di puncak bukit luas empangan

saujana bendang galauan kebun duka

berbeda-beda warna tak serupa kelopak

berlainan bunga mekar dan kucup

lintas melintas

nanti, kalau dukaku tak sempat kutumpahkan

berapa jarak harusky berjalan di dalam malam itu

mencari siang.

____

Sun, since your rising between the clouds,

you have dispersed millions of petals of light

in the morning, afternoon, dusk

in them there is a secret

emerging in the bright light

I study the palm of my hand

to see if your petal is there. A bouquet of light

because my soul is hunting

the meaning of light, always confused, weighing

the colour of the sun in daylight

On top of the wide hill, a dam,

in the distance rice fields a confused orchard of grief

different colours distinct from the petals

various flowers blossom and shrink

crossing each other

Later if I fail to express my grief

how far do I have to walk through the night

looking for daylight.

___

Translations ( Malay to English) done by Institute of Translation Negara Malaysia Berhad & National Arts Council.

Knowing and understanding both Malay and English, this poem is definitely more beautiful and meaningful in the original language. As such, I support PM LHL's move to not reduce the weightage of Mother Tongue for PSLE. Our own mother tongue language or second language is as important as English. Just because we are losing touch with our roots does not make it a lesser language.