Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Goenawan Mohamad

THE 12TH COMMANDMENT

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe something about the wind and the estuary,” you say.

I hear your voice.

I imagine salt scraped off waves,
and waves sundered on the shore.

I imagine a barge seeking space. Getting, not
getting.

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe a terse tale about an eternal journey,
faraway, with a simple ending.”

And someone will depart; though I know not for long.

Perhaps stars are honed
at first light.

I imagine time carried away by the river.

FIRMAN KE-12

FIRMAN KE-12

Aku tak tahu apa yang disebut dalam firman ke-12.
“Mungkin tentang angin dan muara,” katamu.

Kudengar suaramu.

Aku bayangkan garam yang dikais dari ombak,
dan ombak yang di pantai dipatahkan.

Aku bayangkan biduk yang mencari tempat. Mendapat, tak
mendapat.

Aku tak tahu apa yang disebut dalam firman ke-12.
“Mungkin sebuah amsal yang singkat, tentang
perjalanan yang kekal, jauh, di atas akhir yang sederhana.”

Dan seseorang akan berangkat; aku tahu tak akan lama.

Barangkali bintang jadi tajam
di dinihari.

Aku bayangkan waktu terseret sungai.
Close

THE 12TH COMMANDMENT

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe something about the wind and the estuary,” you say.

I hear your voice.

I imagine salt scraped off waves,
and waves sundered on the shore.

I imagine a barge seeking space. Getting, not
getting.

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe a terse tale about an eternal journey,
faraway, with a simple ending.”

And someone will depart; though I know not for long.

Perhaps stars are honed
at first light.

I imagine time carried away by the river.

THE 12TH COMMANDMENT

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe something about the wind and the estuary,” you say.

I hear your voice.

I imagine salt scraped off waves,
and waves sundered on the shore.

I imagine a barge seeking space. Getting, not
getting.

I do not know what is said in the 12th commandment.
“Maybe a terse tale about an eternal journey,
faraway, with a simple ending.”

And someone will depart; though I know not for long.

Perhaps stars are honed
at first light.

I imagine time carried away by the river.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère