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Di Serambi – On the Verandah

A Bilingual Anthology of Modern Indonesian Poetry

Edited and Translated by Iem Brown and Joan Davis
Available through Cambridge University Press

AIAA would like to express our deep appreciation to Joan and Iem for giving us permission to share their work and that of the Indonesian poets published in their book through our website and radio show: Suara Indonesia on BayFM 99.9 – streaming over the internet every Wednesday 2-4pm.
Congratulations on all your hard work and the wonderful book which is the very fine result of your efforts.

From The Parting

Sometimes it is good that we feel sad
in order to know
of the moment we are happy

Sometimes it is good that we cry
in order to know how sweet
it is to laugh

Sometimes it is good that we suffer,
in order to know
the joy of a moment of bliss

And if now we are parted,
even that has something good
to feel how intimate
will be the moment
we are fated to meet again

Dari Suatu Perpisahan

Terkadang ada baiknya kita berduka,
agar terasa betapa gembira
pada saatnya kita bersuka

Terkadang ada baiknya kita menangis,
agar terasa betapa manis
pada saatnya kita tertawa

Terkadang ada baiknya kita merana,
agar terasa betapa bahagia
pada saatnya kita bahagia

Dan jika sekarang kita berpisah,
itu pun ada baiknya juga
agar terasa betapa mesra
jika pada saatnya nanti
kita ditakdirkan bertemu lagi

by AYATROHAEDI
Born 1939 comes from Jatiwangi, Cirebon in West Java