the rice field
(for Adnan Zaki Bunyamin)
i have a strong desire
walking in watery field
where padi grows in fertile
leaves supple in the breeze
swaying and waving the spirit
of the malay
walking through the era
revolution of the race.
rice pounded from padi
is our prime food
vapour of fragrant rice
odourously comfortable to touch
with a lump of nipah salt
rubbing on the melting
engkabang oil
slides the mixture with
beautiful dreams of independence
battering the barriers
fortunes, politic and
economy.
for generations
we enjoy product of the field
ripening padi
of granny’s locality
keeping her name within
my longing mind
ironically as
nostalgia peaked height
the buffaloes vanished to tractor
the fields broadened by hectares
reality of a rice field disappeared in
the eye of heart
where upon my cousin
sketched a history
heir of nation’s granny
stepped on the moon.
1/1/2009
glossary
from the original in bahasa melayu
entitled: sawah dan bulan by Abdillah SM
translated by Abdillah SM
sedap lagu tu.
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