FINALE/BABAK AKHIR-POEM WRITTEN AND TRANSLATED BY SITI RUQAIYAH HASHIM

Rokiah Hashim from Malaysia writes using the name of Siti Ruqaiyah Hashim. She graduated from University of Science in Malaysia in Theatre and Drama, then continued her studies in University of Sydney and obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Translation from Institute of Translations and Books in Malaysia. Starting from 1987 her poems and short stories were published by mainstream literature magazines and newspapers. She is also prolific in film and theatre critics and wrote since 2007 in her column in a major national daily in Malaysia and published a film critic book in 2015 and some 250 articles. A bi-lingual anthology of her poems titled Catharsis/Katarsis in English and Bahasa Melayu was published in 2015 and Spanish in 2016. Her bi-lingual anthology together with 12 other world peace poets titled News From Strasbourg was published in 2017. All translation into Bahasa Melayu was done by SitiRuqaiyah herself. Her second bi-lingual World Peace Poem anthology titled Peace Be Upon You Davos was published in June 2019 in Zagreb. Her collection of poems were translated and published in Albanian recently by Ditet E Naimit 2019 titled Rerat E Sri Lavender. Her latest bi-lingual book is translations of Shaip Emerllahu poems In Bahasa Melayu and English titled Epal Tetovo/Apples of Tetovo also published in late 2019 .She translated Jeton Kelmendi's book and published it in 2020. She published her poetry collection Between Stolen Glances in 2020 by Kultura Snova followed by her 3rd peace Poem World Anthology Prayers for Aisha Lulu in 2021. Her works also appeared in numerous other anthologies together with other world poets and in foreign magazines and newspaper. .She attended numerous local poem festivals in Malaysia and all over the world. She is currently living in Europe and an associate author with International magazine Diogen Pro Culture for World Peace (USA), Poetrybay(USA),Greenwatch Bangladesh, Campus 247.Wordpress (Ghana), Atunis Galaktike Poetry (Brussels) IWABOGDANI (Brussels) and many others. Her poem won Best Poem in Split, Croatia in May 2019. Recently She was awarded by IWABOGDANI Brussels and Yalta 10th Chekov Festival in 2019. International Forum of Creativity and Humanity (IFCH) based in Morocco recently awarded her Excellence in Recognition of Humanitarian and Cultural Fields and on International Women’s Day 2020 she was awarded Ideal Arab Leadership Woman. She was also appointed Ambassador of Humanity from Malaysia by IFCH.

POEM WRITTEN AND TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY SITI RUQAIYAH HASHIM

FINALE

That’s what He fated us
We meet again
And you go on wailing, begging for symphaties
While I am sitting pretty at that peak
Covered in glorious winning colours

Ah!
He had punished you much earlier
With 1001 embarrassents, losses and miseries
Begging and begging non stop

Sorry,
You had perished long ago from my life fold
And I never want to go back to that point
I moved on and climbing
Getting close to the peak
Feeling good
Grasping embers you threw at me
Which doesn’t burn my palms anymore
Because that’s what His rules are
Pains you gulped full with patience
Will not kill you
But will solidify your spirit
And your invulnerable body

Thank God
Thank you for the acid you poured on my wounds
Thank you for making me
Invulnerable,solid and unscratched even a bit

Sorry
I cant help you
I don’t want to go back to that point
Because we all know very well
That old uncle is the conductor of your miserable symphony
To evoke my symphaties
So I return to you again

Sorry,
I am happy with all His rewards for me

Sorry,
I can only feel sorry
Watching you full of miseries
Remember
That all those pains
Are potent medicines to your sickness
Erasing all sins and wrongdoings

Alfatihah*to Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi
Alfatihah too for you

*Quran verses recited for the dead and sick people.

BABAK AKHIR

Begitulah takdir Nya
Kita berjumpa lagi
Dan engkau terus merintih minta dikasihani
Sedang aku selesa di puncak itu
Dengan gemilang warna kemenangan

Ah!
Dia telah menghukummu lebih awal
Dengan 1001 malu, kekalahan dan kedhaifan
Mengemis dan terus mengemis

Maaf,
Engkau telah lama lebur dalam lipatan sejarahku
Aku tak pernah mau kembali ke titik itu
Dan meneruskan langkah dan pendakian
Yang semakin hampir ke puncaknya
Dan merasa puas menggengam
Bara yang kau campakkan
Yang kini sedikit pun tidak membakar telapak tanganku
Kerana begitulah peraturan Nya
Siksa yang ditelan penuh sabar
Tidak akan membunuhmu
Tapi akan mengentalkan semangatmu
Dan mengkebalkan tubuhmu

Alhamdullilah
Terima kasih atas cuka yang kau sirami pada kelukaanku
Terima kasih kerana menjadikanku
Kebal, kental dan tak tercalar lagi sedikit pun

Maaf
Aku tak dapat menolongmu
Aku tak mau kembali ke titik itu
Kerna kita semua cukup tahu
Pak Tua itulah konduktor di belakang simponi sedih pilumu
Untuk menanam simpati terhadapmu
Supaya aku pulang kepadamu sekali lagi!

Maaf, Aku cukup bahagia dengan segala anugerah Nya Maaf,
Aku hanya mampu kasihan
Melihatmu penuh kesakitan
Ingatlah
Bahawa segala kesakitan itu
Adalah ubat mujarab penyakitmu
Penghapus segala silap dan dosamu

Alfatihah untuk Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi
Alfatihah juga untuk mu.

Twin Residence
Johor Baharu, Malaysia
June 2022.