Katakanlah, meaning "say it" or "tell me" in English, is an introduction and a summary to my pages of poetry. To the day, I have a humbly tiny collection of 97 poems - which are mostly in my mother tongue : Bahasa Malaysia. Since I think in English and speak the language for at least 99 % of the time everyday (especially now and here), Bahasa Malaysia seems to give me some 'thrill' ! Some 'class of its own' if I may say so. Bahasa takes me way back down the memory lanes of a happy childhood somehow.
I can't remember when exactly I started writing. But I do remember, as a child, I didn't always get the chance to say what was on my mind. Instead, I would usually ' write' my thoughts with my forefinger anywhere - on the wall, on my hands, my knees, or even in the air - leaving no marks. My fingers would move in writing motion as though I was really writing my thoughts down.
Katakan Dulu carries the poems I wrote when I was in grade ten. I must have started writing poems long before that, but was never serious about keeping them. There are 5 poems I 'found' written between 1988 and 1991.
Katakan Padaku adalah himpunan puisi gambaran diri. Puisi ubat hati. Adalah juga gugusan pengalaman peribadi - yang masih umum-umum. Not with Berhenti, though. I was requested, or was rather ordered by teman-teman Kelab Teater Rimba untuk menulis sebuah sajak bersempena Pekan Teater UKM (1995) - not knowing it was going to be recited by the then Timbalan Naib Canselor about 3 hours later ! It was an awesome feeling - an honor. Kembang jiwa rasanya !
Katakan Padamu agak berat dengan puisi kisah kasih teman-teman rapat saya. Kisah manis Cinta Allivia dengan 'jual mahal' nya. Another friend dengan cerita cinta kekasih lama nya di Aidilfitri. Somehow I could not avoid using some Dusun/Kadazan words in my poems. Personally, I find them very 'visual'. Seperti kopusan dan gerigitan.
Katakan Padanya is a collection of rather spiritual expressions. Pandangan peribadi dan pendapat teman-teman yang saya ambil, kira dan simpan buat pedoman. Expressing my thoughts, dreams and worries ... my poems and the theme of death can't seem to escape from each other. In many, I try to contemplate the much said 'long sleep' through the un-scary way. Sepetik dari filem Patch Adams, katanya : Death is God's way of saying "slow down !". How very true. (You don't have to agree with it, ya know ? :)
Dalam soal 'percaya', kita sering tertampar angin. Sensitif. People don't seem to tolerate differences anymore. What is different is wrong ! To the extent that it is difficult to point out any one WAR that is not caused in the name of 'faith'. Differences in faith have been the 'excuse' for wars for the longest time. So has God. Has He not ?
Katakan Padanya asks us :
"Bukankah Tuhan itu tempatnya di hati kita ?"
Katakan Saja mengenang kisah lama. Kisah hajat dan hasrat yang tak sampai. The childhood love and those childhood dreams. Mimpi yang saya tidurkan dan tidur yang saya mimpikan. Funny how sometimes life takes us on a cruise. No matter how deep you fall in love with the ocean and how blue it captures your heart, your mind will always want to land. To go home.
Katakan Begitu is about a life lesson I learned the hard way.
"...Andai kumiliki semalam
dan bisa aku
ubah menjadi esok
takkan ku ubah apapun
kerana aku tahu
engkau tetap indah
tanpa sempadan masa
aku bahagia
seadanya..."
Kumpulan Search (Andai Kumiliki Semalam)
Begitulah yang disuratkan Tuhan barangkali.
Katakan Hanya melihat...
"...Benarlah kata orang :
laut tenang
adakalanya
lebih menakutkan."
Ke sana, yuk !
Katakan Betapa life is sometimes a self-fulfiling prophecy. He who says that there is no such thing as a plutonic relationship could be right. But I dare say that this one of mine has God sitting between us. Whenever we meet, He is VIP-ly invited. We would just talk and yak and yell and sing and laugh and cry and talk and yak and yell all over again and again ! And when we don't, our souls would do it for us. Katanya : "You are so deep in my soul that when I call out your name, I hear no echoes." Dalam...kan ? (We both were big fans of Wazata Zain, Cumi & Ciki, Kak N and 'Stingray' - the puppet show with Marina the mute mermaid in the late 70's. Hmmm...best !) |
