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Poems on the MRT

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Ini Nasi Yang Ku Suap / This Rice I Eat by Masuri S.N.

 

Ini nasi yang kusuap
pernah sekali menjadi padi harap
melentok dipuput angin pokoknya kerap
tenang berisi tunduk menatap

Ini butir nasi yang kukunyah
sedang kutelan melalui tekak basah
jadi dari darah mengalir
dalam badan gerak berakhir

Angin kencang mentari khatulistiwa
membakar raga petani di sawah
panas hujan dan tenaga masuk kira
dan nasi yang kusuap campuran dari manusia

Ini budi yang kusambut
pemberian lumrah beranting dan bertaut
ini nasi hasil dari—kerja
kembali pada siapa yang patut menerima

Jadi yang kumakan bukan berasal dari nasi
tapi peluh, darah, dalam isi mengalir pasti
jadi kutelan bukan berasal dari padi
tapi dari urat dari nadi seluruh pak tani

This Rice I Eat
Written by Masuri S.N.
Translated by Alfian Sa’at

This rice that I eat
was once paddy stalks of hope
bending in the wind
calmly ripening, bowing, gazing

This grain of rice that I chew
swallowing it down my wet throat
was blood coursing through another body
and in my body its journey ends

Strong winds and the equatorial sun
scorched the body of the farmer in his field
rain and energy were combined
and the rice I eat was mixed with human toil

This is the kindness I receive
a gift of many branches and tangles
this rice is the fruit of – hard labour
returning to those who deserve it

Thus what I eat is not rice alone
but sweat, blood, flowing in its kernel
thus what I swallow is not from paddy alone
but from the veins and pulse of every farmer


Published in Bunga Pahit (1967)

Masuri S. N. is widely recognised as a titan of modern Malay poetry and doyen of the Malay literary scene of Singapore. A most prolific poet, Masuri has, over his lifetime, written over 1,000 poems. A founding member of leading Malay literary association Asas ’50 and occasional Arts Advisor to the National Arts Council, Masuri received the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star) in 1963, the SEA Write Award for Malay poetry in 1980, the Tun Seri Lanang Award in 1995, the ASEAN Cultural Award for literature in 1995, the Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Literary Award in 1996, and the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) in 2000. In 2001, after he had retired as a principal, Masuri returned to serve as president of Asas ’50, until his death in 2005.

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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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