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Poems on the MRT

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Selat Tebrau / Tebrau Straits by Juffri Supa'at

 

Selat Tebrau
kuseberangimu
mencari kawan
yang dah lama tak jumpa
kerana kau adalah saksi
sebuah kisah lama
sewaktu kami pernah bercinta
memadu kasih berjanji setia.

Tapi …
kenapa kini tiada mesra
dan hangat terasa
sewaktu kami bersama.

Biarpun
bibirnya mengorak senyum
tapi hatinya curiga.
Tangannya melambai manja
tapi perasaannya penuh syak-wasangka
menafsir setiap kata dengan seribu makna
menafsir setiap langkah dengan seribu waspada
menjabat salam erat tapi terasa sejuk genggamannya.

Adakah semua ini …
kerana dulu kami pernah
kecewa dan gagal bercinta
sehingga masih
terasa perit dan bernanah lukanya
atau
masih ada perasaan curiga
yang tak rela dan redha
kami bersama
sebagai sahabat setia
bergandingan dalam cita-cita.

Selat Tebrau
fahamilah
walau cinta kami
tak pernah sampai ke puncaknya
namun
kami kan masih tetap bersaudara
dan menjadi kawan setia
menyandarkan kesetiakawanan
dalam menghadapi dunia yang bergelora.

Bukan
musuh yang mencari angkara
ataupun
seteru yang saling membinasa.

Selat Tebrau
bolehkah kami kukuhkan jalinan
kasih sayang dan kepercayaan
dalam menempuh hari-hari mendatang
sebagai sahabat akrab
di dunia yang bergelombang dengan ketidakpastian.


Tebrau Straits
Written by Juffri Supa’at
Translated by Annaliza Bakri

Tebrau Straits
I crossed over you
looking for my friend
long-lost
because you were witness
to an ancient tale
where we were once in love
pledging our devotion.

But... why is there
no tenderness
no warmth
when we draw near.

Even
as the lips curve upwards
the heart is wary
a beckoning hand
conceals mistrust
deciphering each loaded word
delimiting each step with caution
a handshake firm
as ice.

Is all this...
because we once
failed each other
and still
the wound festers
or is
there still mistrust
still not satisfied
with our union
as fast friends
who shared goals.

Oh Tebrau Straits
please understand
even if our love
will never culminate
we are still bound
by ties
of kinship
against the turbulence
of the world.

Neither
pointing fingers at each other
nor
raising swords.

Tebrau Straits
can we strengthen our bond
in tenderness and trust
as the future billows
as loyal friends
against the fraught foreboding.


Published in XXL: Anak Muda Julung Berkeris (1999)

Juffri Supa’at was a poet and a Senior Librarian with the National Library, Singapore. Known as a passionate activist who contributed to our Malay Literary scene since his youth days. A humbled poet who had published two anthology of poems, Ilham Bebas Kurungan: Kumpulan Sajak (2024) and XXL: Anak Muda Julung Berkeris (1999). One of his poems, ‘Hidayah’, won the Anugerah Saadon Ismail (Saadon Ismail Award) at the annual creative writing competition organised by Persatuan Wartawan Melayu (Malay Journalists Association) during the Malay Language Month campaign in 1993.

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Poems on the MRT is an initiative by the National Arts Council, in partnership with SMRT and Stellar Ace. Produced by Sing Lit Station, a local literary non-profit organisation, this collaboration displays excerpts of Singapore poetry throughout SMRT’s train network, integrating local literature into the daily experience of commuters. Look out for poems in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil in trains on the East-West, North-South and Circle Lines, as well as videos created by local artists and featuring local poets in stations and on trains. The Chinese, Malay, and Tamil poems are available in both the original languages and English. To enjoy the full poems, commuters may read them on go.gov.sg/potm.

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