Ibu hutan di beranda
wangikan tingkap kayu
dan anyir perahu
di hulu sungai

Letih memunguti serpih dedaunan
seperti serindit merangkai sarang
di batang sialang kering tak bercabang
seharian mengitari pagi dan petang

Lihatlah, pancang tua patahkan kemudi
biduk lapuk memaki masa depan
tersuruk di turap berkarat
sebab deru tongkang terus menerjang

Di celah ombak yang meruncing
karena kerumunan ikan merindukan ibu
sambil mengasah pisau
sampai berkilau di akar enau

Ingin lahir dari ibu segala ibu
berhutan dan berahim sembilu
yang kini tak lagi hijau
ditetak perompak di hulu

Ibu hutan menangislah
sampai air mata basahi tubuhmu
yang dihuni ikan-ikan
membatu karena limbah

Oh, akulah sungai kau muara
kucumbu di riak sajak
keruh menemani setiap kata
yang belum sempat terucap

Saat angin menggarami petang
yang tersangkut tiang jembatan
rumah-rumah panggung
anak-anak membusung

Karena lapar, ladang terbakar
tanah apak nasib terkapak
di rerimbun matamu
bersalju debu

Dengarlah, pekik siamang
lintang pukang
ketika aroma rimba tergadai
mesin-mesin industri

Di tepi sungai siak
aku kembali bersajak
ibu hutan menepilah
sebelum rahimmu terbelah

Kau lumut aku lumpur
bertemu di musim kemarau
anak kita getah
menangis di hutan melayu

Musim hujan tenggelamkan kampung
terkurung dari petang sampai pagi
serupa katak dalam tempurung
berhari-hari

Kau sampan aku ikan
terjebak di semak paku
kita pun berdekapan
serupa karang dan air pasang

Tiba di laut kita kesepian
tak ada lagi riuh tetabuhan
di setiap pelabuhan
tempat merayakan impian

Pulanglah ibu hutan
di rumah kayumu yang melapuk
karena akulah lumut
di rambutmu yang gambut

2007/2011


SIAK RIVER QUATRAIN

A forest mother on the porch
perfuming the wooden window
and rancid boat
in the upper course of the river

Tired of picking up pieces of leaves
like a parrot weaving nest
on the dry, single beehive trunk
revolving around morning and evening all day long

Look, old milestone breaks the steering wheel
moldy craft cursing the future
hidden in rusty plaster
because the roar of the barge keep crashing

Between the pointed waves
because the crowd of fish miss their mother
while sharpening a knife
until glittering in the palm roots

Bearing from the greatest mother
forested and wombed of blade
that no longer green
cut down by pirates in the upper course of river

Forest mother, weep
until tears wet your body
inhabited by fish
petrified because of waste

Oh, I am the mouth of your river
I flatter you in the ripple of rhyme
muddy companying each word
unspoken ones

When the wind salting evening
stumbled over the bridge pillars
stage houses
children bloated

Because of hunger, fields burned
moldy land, axed destiny
on the lush of your eyes
dust snow-covered

Listen, the scream of gibbons
head over heels
when jungle smell pawned
by industrial machinery

In the edge of siak river
I rhyme again
forest mother, step aside
before your womb cracked

You’re moss, I’m mud
met in the dry season
our children is sap
crying in malay woods

Rainy season sank the village
locked from dusk till dawn
like frogs in a shell
day by day

You’re canoe, I’m fish
stuck in the bush of nail
we hug each other
like reef and tide

In the sea we are lonely
no more noise of percussion
at each port
place to celebrate the dream

Go home forest mother
to your decaying wood house
because I'm the moss
in your turf hair

2007/2011

Translated by Febby Fortinella Rusmoyo