Nenden Lilis Poems

From the Lost Centuries


On midnight, you soaked wet in rain
After that long journey
“Please go home!” the wind moans inside your heart


You stood like a statue in front of the house
That you abandoned
A house with no more dwellers
In quietness, the sound of a house-lizard is bursted out
In the dark, you hear the sound of water
Dropped through the leaky roof


“Come in!” a magical voice sounded
emerged from the lost centuries



your feet trembled, took a step toward inner floors
the cold moist walls
spreading unpleasant odor
with the rest of the lights within your eyes
you observed the loneliness inside the room
“this house is empty, definitely empty!”


and then you wept.

1995

translated by Nikmah Sarjono

Dari Abad-abad yang Hilang



tengah malam kau kuyup dalam hujan
setelah perjalanan jauh itu
"pulanglah!" angin merintih di hatimu


kau mematung di ambang rumah yang kautinggalkan
dan lama tak berpenghuni
dalam sunyi, pecah suara cecak
dalam gelap, kaudengar tetes air
jatuh dari seng yang bolong


"masuklah!" sebuah suara terasa gaib
datang dari abad-abad yang hilang


kakimu gemetar menginjak lantai dalam
dinding-dinding dingin dan sembab
merupai juga bau lembab


dengan sisa cahaya dalam matamu
kau menyimak sepi dalam ruangan
"rumah ini memang kosong, memang kosong!"


dan kau menangis



1995

Poem of a House


This house becomes narrower
Inside it we both got buried
Not be able to help each other


This room smelled mengkudu
While fingernails still be blue


Face becomes haggard
Chest becomes thinner
Mouth becomes pale
Persistently coughing
For a long time has forgotten how to sing


The owner of this house came
Not to visit
But to evict

2001- 2002

translated by Nikmah Sarjono

Sajak Rumah


rumah ini semakin sempit
di dalamnya kita sama-sama terpuruk
dan tak bisa saling menolong


ruang bau mengkudu
sedang kuku tetap membiru


wajah kian tirus
dada kian tipis
mulut lesi
selalu terbatuk
sekian lama lupa bersenandung


si tua pemilik rumah datang
tidak untuk menjenguk
tapi mengusir



2001-2002

House of Memory


A homeless person could never go home anywhere
Except to memories beneath the guava tree
To old mother and father who sit speechlessly in a
Dusty room


She still feels she belonged to that dull cupboard
Although its key hole is stuck, its door can not
Be closed, its mirror reflects tapering shadows


Traces of soil on a hoe and a shirt full of mud
Hanged in the kitchen is also like
The rest of her heart
Although something is difficult to grow
Like the apple tree in the backyard
Its leaves withered, got eaten by caterpillars
Or the pomegranate tree, its fruits cracked
Before they got ripe


But a homeless person still wants to stay
Although she doesn’t know, are there still yearnings,
Is someone still waiting?


She just knew
Life is actually being alone

2002
translated by Nikmah Sarjono

Rumah Kenangan


seorang tanpa rumah tak bisa pulang kemana-mana
kecuali pada kenangan di pohon jambu klutuk
pada ibu-bapak renta yang terpekur di kamar berdebu


lemari kusam itu masih dirasa miliknya
meski lubang kuncinya macet, pintunya tak bisa
menutup, cerminnya memantulkan bayangan lonjong


bekas tanah di cangkul dan baju berlumpur
yang menggantung di bilik dapur juga
seperti sisa hatinya
meski selalu ada yang terasa sulit tumbuh
seperti pohon apel di kebun belakang
daunnya rangkas dimakan ulat
atau pohon delima, buahnya belah sebelum masak


tapi seorang tanpa rumah masih ingin tinggal
meski tak tahu, masih adakah yang rindu,
masihkah ada yang menunggu?


ia hanya tahua
hidup sesungguhnya sendiri


2002