Tangkuban Prau

On Saturday, July 16, 2011 SEASSI (Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute) held its 9th Poetry Night in the Pyle Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison. SEASSI students and teachers recited poems and sang songs in Burmese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Javanese, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese.

I was very honored and proud to read a Javanese poem entitled "Tangkuban Prau." It was written by Nuniek Wulandari and first published in Penyebar Semangat, No. 16, 19 April 1986. I found this beautiful poem in Kalung Barleyan: Antologi Puisi Jawa Modern Penyair Wanita. 1988. Hutomo, Suripan. S. Ed. Surabaya: Pusat Pengabdian pada Masyarakat IKIP Surabaya.
Paul translated the poem into English and read it.

Here it is;

Tangkuban Prau

kaping pindho daktlusur lengkehmu
nrutus kapang kang nate kecicir ing lambe kawahmu
panggah kaya biyen
tekaku nggawa pisambat lan kasepen

dayang Sumbi
tuduhna ing endi katresnan jati
ing kawahmu
ing pucuk-pucuk pinusmu
ing uwuh lirangmu
apa ing telenging atiku?
ah, pedhut lan angin kang miyak sayak
apa kowe ngerti karepku?


Tangkuban Prau, 19 Desember 1985


Following is Paul's translation;

Tangkuban Prau

for the second time i'm tracing your crevasses for that longing;

remember when i accidently brushed your lips, the lips of your crater.
a little tear in my seed purse--my seed effortlessy wasted

--falling fluent unnoticed

nothing changes--
today it's swollen with complaints and loneliness, my purse:

dearest Sumbi, where did you conceal your love?

should i query your dark funnel again;
beat your soft brush shadows for answers,
look for other residue in your bright sulfur slicks;

...
or, warm night's wind that flirts with my dress-hem,
lifts my skirts,
do you know what i am looking for?



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