Duri di Hujung Bibirmu / A Thorn at the Edge of Your Lips

Keresahan adalah lagu
sejambak bunga terbaring lesu di kelakianmu
epitaph terpadam di dinding
kaurenung kenangan
bercawat hitam di kerusi kaki.

Berjuta-juta batu
aku rakamkan sebungkus ludahan
kautukar menjadi haruman burak
camar ketawa bersindir
mabok di dalam kemaluan.

Peta masa berputar
bibirmu berduri
akei asi kui
takkan sembuh dijilat ketika.



Disquiet is a song,
a spray of flowers lying listless at your manhood,
an epitaph erased from the wall.
Sheathed in black loincloth
at the chair-feet, you sit and remember.

Millions of miles:
I chronicle a sachet of spit
that you transform into the scent of burak rice wine;
the dove laughs, mocking,
drunk in shame.

The map of time rotates.
Your lips are thorny:
akei asi kui
the lapping of time won’t heal it.


Translated by Pauline Fan



From Tell Me, Kenyalang (Circumference Books, 2019). Reprinted with the permission of the publisher.