"broto" poems
W. S. Rendra translations
Willibrordus Surendra Broto Rendra (1935-2009), better known as W. S. Rendra or simply Rendra, was an Indonesian dramatist and poet. He said, “I learned meditation and the disciplines of the traditional Javanese poet from my mother, who was a palace dancer. The idea of the Javanese poet is to be a guardian of the spirit of the nation.” The press gave him the nickname Burung Merak (“The Peacock”) for his flamboyant poetry readings and stage performances.
SONNET
by W. S. Rendra
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Best wishes for an impending deflowering.
Yes, I understand: you will never be mine.
I am resigned to my undeserved fate.
I contemplate
irrational numbers―complex & undefined.
And yet I wish love might ... ameliorate ...
such negative numbers, dark and unsigned.
But at least I can’t be held responsible
for disappointing you. No cause to elate.
Still, I am resigned to my undeserved fate.
The gods have spoken. I can relate.
How can this be, when all it makes no sense?
I was born too soon―such was my fate.
You must choose another, not half of who I AM.
Be happy with him when you consummate.
THE WORLD'S FIRST FACE
by W. S. Rendra
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Illuminated by the pale moonlight
the groom carries his bride
up the hill―
both of them naked,
both consisting of nothing but themselves.
As in all beginnings
the world is naked,
empty, free of deception,
dark with unspoken explanations―
a silence that extends
to the limits of time.
Then comes light,
life, the animals and man.
As in all beginnings
everything is naked,
empty, open.
They're both young,
yet both have already come a long way,
passing through the illusions of brilliant dawns,
of skies illuminated by hope,
of rivers intimating contentment.
They have experienced the sun's warmth,
drenched in each other's sweat.
Here, standing by barren reefs,
they watch evening fall
bringing strange dreams
to a bed arrayed with resplendent coral necklaces.
They lift their heads to view
trillions of stars arrayed in the sky.
The universe is their inheritance:
stars upon stars upon stars,
more than could ever be extinguished.
Illuminated by the pale moonlight
the groom carries his bride
up the hill―
both of them naked,
to recreate the world's first face.
Keywords/Tags: Rendra, Indonesian, Javanese, translation, love, fate, god, gods, goddess, groom, bride, world, time, life, sun, hill, hills, moon, moonlight, stars, life, animals , international, travel, voyage, wedding, relationship, mrbtran
Oct 15, 2020
Oct 15, 2020 at 5:36 AM UTC
Tu vida es un gran río, va caudalosamente.
A su orilla, invisible, yo broto dulcemente.
Soy esa flor perdida entre juncos y achiras
que piadoso alimentas, pero acaso ni miras.
Cuando creces, me arrastras y me muero en tu seno;
cuando secas, me muero poco a poco en el cieno;
pero de nuevo vuelvo a brotar dulcemente
cuando en los días bellos vas caudalosamente.
Soy esa flor perdida que brota en tus riberas
humilde y silenciosa todas las primaveras.
1.2k
Um broto de rosa
Jovens que se esbarram no calçadão
Um pequeno caule e sua folha
E os batimentos de dois, á um coraçao
Uma pequena muda
Dois meses sem separação
O surgimento de uma delicada e fechada rosa
Dois amantes em procissão
Passam as petalas e se abre a flor
Mais sorrisos e menos dor
E o cheiro doce demais, rosa demais, perfeito demais
Traiçai, desapego, sem paixao
O amor, já acabou, como um fruto que estraga ou como endurece o pão
A rosa, já seca, jogada no chão
Mar 17, 2015
Mar 17, 2015 at 10:19 PM UTC
rita lee cantou que mulher é bicho estranho
todo mês sangra.
adélia prato lançou Bagagem.
rupi kaur escreveu sobre amor
e dor em seu corpo.
ijeoma umebinyuo criou versos que ainda não li,
mas que ouvi dizer vão desabrochar lindas
rosas dentro de mim.
àquelas mulheres que inspiram e respiram:
vocês são cada gota do gole de água que
preciso beber pra seguir vivendo.
Jan 19, 2018
Jan 19, 2018 at 8:18 PM UTC