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Poems on the MRT

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Menuju Pantai Bahagia / Towards the Shore of Happiness by Suratman Markasan

 

Mentari mula menyelam hilang
sekejap lagi malam datang
burung terbang hilang
cepat kukayuh perahuku
berdesir ombak di depan
keringat meleleh keluar dari badan
menjadi kecil ombak di belakang
di depan ombak terus memukul perahuku
kayuh terus kayuh bisikku

Dan terus kayuh jangan berhenti
sendiku lenguh-lenguh
keringat terus meleleh keluar
kayuh terus
itu pantai pasir terbentang
nanti sampai jua
Lekas! Lekas!

Tiba sekarang di muka pantai
walau datang hari malam
bintang-mintang menyuluh terang
dan esok di timur mentari muncul!
datang sinar segar sihat
tulang empat kerat bebas kembali

Towards the Shore of Happiness
Written by Suratman Markasan
Translated by Alfian Sa’at

The sun starts to set
soon night will fall
birds fly away and vanish
I row my boat faster
in front, waves are hissing
from my body, sweat is dripping
forming small waves on my back
waves ahead keep battering my boat
keep rowing, I whisper

And keep on rowing, don’t stop
my joints are aching
my sweat keeps flowing
keep on rowing
on that Shore stretches the sand
where soon I’ll finally land
Hurry up! Hurry up!

Now I’ve reached the Shore
and even though night has fallen
the stars are shining brightly
and tomorrow in the east the sun will rise!
its fresh rays will bring vigour to this Shore
and this weary body will be free once more


Published in Kembali Ke Akar Melayu Kembali Ke Akar Islam (2013)

Credit: Esplanade Offstage

Suratman Markasan is one of Singapore’s Malay-language literary pioneers. An educator, community leader, socio-political commentator, poet, and short story and novel writer, Suratman wrote about the Malay experience in Singapore, addressing issues from filial piety to displacement in his award-winning works. A past chairman of the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union and head of ASAS ’50, he received the S.E.A. Write Award in 1989 and the Tun Sri Lanang Literary Award from the Malay Language Council in 1999. In 2010, Suratman received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to literature in Singapore.

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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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