Puisi: Jiwa Hamba/Enslaved Soul

Jiwa Hamba

Termenung seketika sunyi sejenak
Kosong di jiwa tiada penghuni
Hidup terasa di perbudak-budak
Hanya suara melambung tinggi.

Berpusing roda beralih masa
Pelbagai aneka hidup di bumi
Selagi hidup berjiwa hamba
Pasti tetap terjajah abadi.

Kalau hidup ingin merdeka
Tiada tercapai hanya berkata
Ke muka maju sekata, maju kita
Melemparkan jauh jiwa hamba.

Ingatkan kembali kata sakti
Dari bahang kesedaran berapi
'Di atas robohan Kota Melaka,
Kita dirikan jiwa merdeka!'



Tongkat Warrant
22 Mac 1949






Enslaved Soul

Pondering awhile in the quiet of the moment
An empty, inhabited soul
Life feels as if it is treated like a child
Left screaming on its own.

Wheels turn and time changes
In life's multiple variety
So long as you live as an enslaved soul
Eternal enslavement is a certainty.

If you want to live free
You can't get it with words alone
United, we march forward
Hurl this enslaved soul far away.

Remember again the magic words
Forged by the flames of insight:
'On the ruins of Kota Melaka
We build the soul of independance!'


Tongkat Warrant
22nd March 1949

Translation by Lyna Usman