Johar Buang (b. 1958)

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SELECTED POEMS

Cinta di Bukit Palmer

antara Bukit Palmer dan Bukit Judi, ada kubah langit
dan bagai Columbus memasuki pintu dermaga cinta,
perlahan-lahan kapalku berlabuh di lautan
yang tidak lagi bergelora serta balingan ombak
ke pesisir laguna, kini menjelma ufuk gurun
permaidani emas membangun gedung-gedung saham
pencakar awan, jagat lumba sibuk dan mabuk
memintas trafik perburuan ayam jago
yang terpisah jejak akar kampung sejarah.
Wisma hidup walau bebas tetapi terasa
dipenjarakan kubangan resah, bagai terasing
antara pelbagai bangsa penghuni ikan-ikan yang
terpaksa berkongsi lorong-lorong kaca akuarium,
lemas mendera karang jiwa disaput materi angin
yang mengeraskan arca impian kota.

Nuh, seperti bahteramu tersadai nun di puncak
Bukit Judi, kini akulah kawanan merpati nazar,
datang dari negeri jauh mendambakan ihsan nur jiwa
pada sejemput tanah di pinggir bukit silam yang nyaris
terpupus diterjah jentolak-jentolak pembangungan
dan tersisih sunyi dari jeritan kota fatamorgana.
Kugapai setinggi-tingginya tangga ziarah
ke persada makam zuhud kasih. Di persinggahan
mercu Bukit Palmer ketemukan gema pesona abadi
dari relung syahdu ayat-ayat munajat,
menghubungkan pantauan zikir kidung cintaku
kepada burung-burung Attar, marilah sejenak
berkepak sidang di koridor uzlah makam kekasih
dan raikan bersama hari bahagia Asyura. Nuh,
masih adakah kini sisa sahabat sejati laksana
sahabat-sahabatmu yang tetap setia pada bai’ah
perjanjian, turun dari bahtera ukhuwah
ke puing-puing tanah gersang
demi mempersatukan kembali lembah harapan
selepas dunia punah dilanda banjir Tsunami?

kubah hijau menyibak hamparan kosmos,
berabad silam bukit taman wardah tersembunyi ini
menjadi monumen khazanah yang tersimpannya
rahsia langit, kusobek pintu muhasabah diri,
kuselami kasyaf ketenangan yang menakjubkan
persis berada di puncak indah Thursina
yang memanjatkan rindu Musa pada saat
menghampiri selapis tirai nur Wajah-mu,
kapankah cermin hati Yang Satu akan terungkap,
untuk apa dunia renta ini ditambalkan oleh
topeng-topeng revolusi keanggunan
andai keindahan hakiki Wajah Sang Kekasih
tidak terlihat pada perkebunan semesta?

salam Habib Noh, salam untukmu ya aulia,
di pintu makam tertinggimu tersebat harum
fitrah kasturi, menyapu sayap-sayap keasmaraan
merpati penyair yang masih terus berkelana
mencari dimensi keperibadian Ilahiah.
Dirimu adalah amir utama di antara amir-amir sufi
di padang kota alpa yang kehilangan kafilah,
telah kau tebas lalang jiwa
telah kau bangunkan masjid tahajjud cinta
telah kau tawan puncak bukit mujahadah ini
seperti Nuh yang segera merunahkan bahteranya
setelah dapat mengeja isyarat tingginya gelombang
wajarkah bukit warisan sufi ini
dan bukit-bukit sejarah lainnya
terus dipertahankan dari arus jebak pembangunan
untuk dijadikan benteng penyelamat negeri ini
andai kata dunia dibanjirkan lagi raksasa Tsunami?

by Johar Buang
from Sampai di Singgahsana Cinta (2009)

Love on Mount Palmer

between Mount Palmer and Mount Judi exists a sky dome
and, like Columbus invading love’s berth,
slowly my ship anchors in the sea
no longer turbulent and full of rolling waves
towards the coast there looms a deserted horizon
golden carpet forms stockbroking buildings
skyscrapers, citizens drunk and busy
tackling traffic, hunting for the fighting cock
that strayed off the path of the historical village.
The building of life, though free, felt
imprisoned in restless wallowing, as though alienated
by various species of fishes
forced to share paths in the glass aquarium,
drowned while abusing the shell of souls smeared with air
and hardens the sculpture of the dream city.

Noah, like your ship anchored at the peak of
Mount Judi, now I am the friend of the messenger dove,
coming from a far-away land, seeking the empathy of enlightened souls
on the small piece of land at the edge of a hill that was almost
destroyed and ravaged by bulldozers of development
and isolated from the screams of a mirage-city.
I climbed the ladder to visit
the tomb site of asceticism and love. At the rest-place,
pinnacle of Mount Palmer, I hear the echo of eternal charm
from the verses of prayer and supplication
connecting the watch list of my love’s canticle
to the birds of Attar, come here for a while—
for a conference in the secluded hallway outside Beloved’s shrine
and together we commemorate the Day of Ashura. Noah,
do the fragments of real friendship still exist, like
your friends who would remain loyal to the Bai’ah
hailing from the ship of brotherhood
towards the debris of arid deserts
for the sake of uniting the valley of hope
after the floods destroy the world?

a green dome uncovers the cosmic overlay
for many centuries, this hill of the hidden garden of love
became a treasured monument that keeps
the sky’s secret, I tear open the doors of self-reflection,
I leap into the miraculous visionaries of peace.
It’s like being on top of the stunning Mount Sinai
expressing longing for Moses while
approaching the draped light of your Face
when will mirrors reflect the heart of The One?
for what purpose is this old world veiled by
demure masks of revolution
if the real splendor of The Lover’s Face
will not be seen in the garden of the universe?

Greetings Habib Noh, greetings to you, oh pious one
at the door of the highest tomb filled with fragrance’s
musky nature, flapping wings of passion
the poet’s dove is still wandering
looking for God’s dimensions.
You are foremost among the sufi emirs
in the neglected city that is bereft of leaders,
you have slashed the arrogant self
you have built a mosque of nightly worship for love
you have captured the peak of this enduring hill
like Noah who immediately prepared his ship
after deciphering the sign in the waves
should this hill of Sufi heritage
and the other historical hills
be preserved from the tide of development
to become the fort that saves this country
say, when this world is overwhelmed by the great Tsunami?

by Johar Buang
translated from the Malay by Annaliza Bakri
from Sampai di Singgahsana Cinta (2009)

 

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