Rasus Budhyono 
Translator

on Lyrikline: 2 poems translated

from: 英文 to: 印度尼西亚文

Original

Translation

The Rock

英文 | John Mateer

The volcanic rock on my desk performs solidly.
I identify its presence.
It returns me to this room, this desk, this body.
I observe the rock. It is an eye heavy with silence.
It is an ear consuming space.
It is a memory of a clear day on the island of Samosir.
It is returning me to this room, this desk, my body.
Like Uluru, it confounds the astral, stating,
You do not know what it is you are like.
Personality, igneous rock and oblivion are the same.

© John Mateer & Publisher
Audio production: Literaturwerkstatt Berlin 2010

Batu

印度尼西亚文

Batu merapi di mejaku terlihat keras.
Kuamati kehadirannya.
Ia mengantarku kembali ke kamar ini, meja ini, tubuh ini.
Kuamati batu itu. Sebentuk mata penuh kebungkaman.
Telinga yang makan tempat.
Ia sebongkah ingatan tentang hari cerah di pulau Samosir.
Batu ini mengantarku kembali ke kamar ini, meja ini, tubuhku.
Seperti Uluru, ia mengacaukan rasi bintang dengan mengatakan
Kau  tak tahu kau itu macam apa.
Kepribadian, batu lahar, dan ketiadan, setali  tiga uang.

Terjemahan: Rasus Budhyono

The Dream

英文 | John Mateer

She has full, soft lips and is beautiful.
How he knows she is beautiful who can say?
She may be the image of the Malay bride on the travel-guide’s cover.
But she is faceless, not frightening,
and her bones curve with devotional time.
He is kissing her. They are naked. Then she is singing
in the only African language he can understand.
Her voice is a young woman desiring a child.
She is singing the lullaby or nursery-rhyme with an elusive melody
that he has heard before, years ago, in another dream.
The echoing of her song could undo him if allowed to,
but before he can summon a word they are inaudible again.

© John Mateer & Publisher
from: Two Images
Audio production: Literaturwerkstatt Berlin 2010

Mimpi

印度尼西亚文

Bibirnya merekah, lembut, dan indah.
Entah bagaimana lelaki itu tahu kecantikannya.
Adakah ia jelmaan potret pengantin Melayu di majalah?
Ia tak menakutkan, hanya tak ada ekspresi di parasnya,
dengan tulang pipi yang melekuk seiring waktu khayali.
Lelaki itu menciumnya. Mereka telanjang. Nyanyiannya
berlagu satu-satunya bahasa Afrika yang dikenal lelaki itu.
Suara itu adalah suara perempuan muda merindu anak.
Alunan nada ayun ambing yang menina-bobokan.  
Dulu sekali, di mimpi lain, lelaki itu pernah mendengarnya.
Bila mungkin gaung itu dapat membawanya kembali ke sana.
Namun sebelum satu kata pun datang, semua kembali senyap.

Terjemahan: Rasus Budhyono