This is my impression or translation of Usman Awang's Poem, "KEMANUSIAAN". It was written in November, 1963 but the principal issue sounds so contemporary, same as often spoken about by Chomsky decades before the millennium in talks and debates around US campuses.
It appears to have been written following former President Kennedy's assasination of November 1963.
Poems of this genre are so rare from the local poets these days, but I must have missed others other than what the recent ones Pak Samad have penned.
The makeover
The leaves and the breeze only fluttered with the banners
as unhearing and mute they knew not nor quivered with news of great import
as desired of petrified people as such great news break
They had seen before how red blood was shed by Adam's sons
in battles waged in victories and defeat
and how deaths were sung all yonder
and lives wagered till all ground turned to graves
how many teardrops for each who had died
before more and more coffins draw more tears
that were they to be compared shame falls of Niagara's
those tears of loved ones and loved sons
of waiting girls and grieving mothers.
If you regret a single death
but in phony sympathy shed not a tear for others
then humanity crowns not in the face of truth
for is it humanity if it is not boundless?
Now as each City all over weeps and cries out its grief
as should humanity throb and feel
not a soul will cry for future fatality
or would say: let us snuff out enmity
for those who have loved and lost, weep
the world is a makeover: life is a bleeding death
Translated from:
"KEMANUSIAAN, (Kematian Kennedy)", Usman Awang, "DURI DAN API"
Kuala Lumpur, November, 1963
The original version goes as:
Dunia telah didandankan
Segala daun dan angin menyapa menoleh hanya
bersama kain-kain berkibar di tengah-tengah tiang
kerana mereka tidak bergetar oleh berita-berita besar
atas kehendak yang telah berlaku dan manusia segala terpaku.
Telah mereka saksikan sejak pertama cair merah tumpah
putera Adam membunuh-bunuh dalam pertarungan menangkalah
dan kematian demi kematian dinyanyikan di mana-mana
dan dilanjutkan sehinggal segala tanah jadi pusara.
berapa titiskah airmata untuk seorang yang pergi
sebelum keranda bertolah untuk nanti ditambah lagi
dibandingkan dengan hebatnya air terjun di Niagara
airmata putera-putera tercinta dan gadi-gadis menunggu di muka jendela
bersama kerutan pahit para ibu yang pernah menyusui
mendengar berita kematian ngeri dari daerah peperangan?
Jika menyesali kematian seorang
dan hati tidak berdenyut untuk kematian yang lain
maka kemanusiaan tidak ujud di mahkota kebenaran
sebab bukanlah kemanusiaan bila ia ada perbatasan
Dan sebarang tiap kota menangis dan mengucap kata
karena sewajarnyalah kemanusiaan itu berdenyut dan terasa
tapi tak seorangpun akan mengangis untuk pembunuhan yang bakal tiba
atau akan berkata: mari kita padamkan api sengketa
Siapa yang merasa dan kehilangan kesayangannya, menangislah
dunia telah didandankan; kehidupan adalah kematian berdarah.
"KEMANUSIAAN, (Kematian Kennedy)", Usman Awang, "DURI DAN API"
Kuala Lumpur, November, 1963
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