Dorothea Rosa Herliany (2)

Talking Trash

in the empty forest, i am enchained by words of trash.
the world is weary and confused, the paths go round in circles
in the dishonest confusion of truth and deceit.

the land in the distance is fertile.
i have no way of growing.
i am like a snail with no trail to follow.
searching for the home
it carries on its back.
from one unnamed land to another,
i am unable to see the most imaginary oasis:
i am imprisoned in words of trash

i build a world set on cranes' legs
this is a land of dwarfs, shrunken and foolish.
they weave fear with their long tongues.
lies turn into yes.
and truth turns into no. words soar
to the top of the tower
of babel. desires and force
aimed at nothing in particular
whistle through the air, day by day,
like a sheaf of arrows hunting the wind.

i am lost in a land where words are trash.
in my poetry, i build myself a small house
where my conscience can live.

Sampah Kata-Kata

di rimba kosong, aku terbelenggu sampah katakata.
dunia lunglai dan kusut. perjalanan mellngkarlingkar,
dalam kekacauan dusta antara kebenaran dan tipudaya.

di hamparan tanah subur,
aku kehilangan jalan untuk tumbuh.
seperti siput yang berjalan tanpa jejak ludah.
mencari rumah sendiri di punggung.
dan tanah ke tanah tanpa nama, aku
tak melihat fatamorgana.
: aku terkurung dalam sampah katakata.

kubangun tempat berpijak kaki bangau,
inilah negeri kurcaci. sebab kerdil
mereka menyulam ketakutan dengan lidah panjang.
kepalsuan menjadi ya.
dan kebenaran menjadi tidak. katakata membumbung
di puncak menara babel.
segala nafsu dan kekuasaan
yang tak lagi punya mata
mendesing hari ke hari
dalam sekelebatan anak panah memburu angin.

aku tersesat di negeri sampah katakata.
kubangun rumah kecil dalam puisi hati nurani.

Jakarta, 1998