Friday, February 27, 2009

Mentari Texas pun terlindung awan

Di taman sepanjang Sewell River
Jeremy telentang mandi matahari
Memelototi diktat untuk ujian nanti
Sementara gadis-gadis berbikini berlomba membakar kulit pucat mereka
Aku berlari kecil menuju Alkek Library
Di antara puluhan pasang kaki lalu lalang di the Quad
Menyeruak di tengah-tengah anak-anak fraternity yang sedang berpromosi
Burger, guys, or would you like taco?
Lamat-lamat kudengar dari sampingku
Assalamu’alaikum, sister!
Kakiku terhenti, pemuda berwajah Hindi mengangguk sopan
Wa’alaikumsalam, brother!
Di sela-sela musik hip-hop di Student Center
Ucapan salam menjadi oasis di padang pasir
Mengundang anak sungai bening di pelupuk mata
Dan mentari Texas bulan Juli pun tiba-tiba sejuk terlindung awan 





And the Cloud Comes to Protect the Scorching Sun 

Along the bank of Sewell River
the bikini gals are lazily sun tanning
As I run to Alkek Library
Among colorful pairs of sandals crowding the Quad
The loud fraternity boys cheerfully calling
Burger, guys, or would you like taco?
A sound almost like whisper comes not from afar
Assalamu’alaikum, sister?
My footsteps halt, eyes looking to the right
A Hindi looking young man politely nods
Wa’alaikumsalam, brother!
In between the hip hop music at the Student Center
A piece of salam turns into an oasis
Inviting tiny beads of water running to my cheeks
And suddenly a cloud comes to protect the scorching sun

Alkek Library, July 2003
 

3 comments:

Tia Kyutz said...

Assalmualaikum Ma’am….
This word is just a common thing to hear here in our own country. But it would be so worthy when we hear it in such foreign country, I think…^^


Honestly, I was so happy when you gave us a chance to read and give a comment toward these very nice, attractive, interesting, and inspiring articles on your blog, your private blog, exactly. At the first time I opened the blog, I was eager to read the entire articles in a rush, for I want to know all the idea that you share there immediately. When I finished read the articles, I found that all of those articles were absolutely dazzling, such as the story about Nadin which is really complicated and touched, the story about Youssef which is very interesting, and the story about Shazia which is very inspiring me to be a real muslimah. I really amazed when I read each article there. Till I’m confused to choose which article I’m going to be commented.


But finally I find a poem of you entitle “Mentari Texas pun Terlindung Awan”. I feel so eerie when I read this poem. I can feel the sensation when you were greeted by the Hindi student. I also ever experience this sensation when the first time I came to study in Surabaya. Although there were so many new friends I found here, but I felt all alone. Thus, when I met my old friend, not really an old friend actually, but rather a friend who I know at the Senior High School, then I felt so glad and touched. Even, he/she was actually not really well known of me as in Senior high School, yet when we met in such new place, Surabaya, we will feel like a sister or brother then. We just share some things the same, we come from the same Senior High school and same hometown. . It just likes a healing of homesickness when I meet them.


I can imagine then, how difficult it would be when we go far away from our parents, our friends, our hometown, and our country, as what you have experienced. It would be so miserable, I guess. Loneliness and longing of family, friends and hometown will always come, and sometime capped us. However, if we can manage this feeling well, it will not be a matter any longer. We live far away from our parents, our hometown, our country, for the sake of the better future; to make them proud of us; for the lofty idea. And I will always let me myself to enjoy this "distance".

nova wulansari said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
nova wulansari said...

Assalamu'alaikum...
Good evening Mam...
Hi..it's me, Nova...
Hmmm...what a wonderful expereriences Mam...
I've read all of the articles and all of them are really excited.
Actually, i really want just like to be you Mam who has a chance to go abroad, in the foreign country that we just know it in the television or maybe just know it in the map.
Back to the articles...all of them are very exciting me, but my heart was very touched when i heard it from Mam Tiwi yesterday, with the article entitled " Mentari Texas pun Terlindung Awan ", it means that you feel comfortable at that time when crowded in around of you Mam. This experience happens in Texas, a country that Islam as a minority of religion right there, so isn't easy to find the person who has a same religion with you. Obviously, go abroad that absolutely far away from our family and our country make us feel lonely though we in the crowded place, just like in the article that i've read. At that time, in a crowd, you hear"Assalamu'alaikum" from a man (we can say that he is our brother)you suddenly feel comfortable..it just like an "Oase in the desert".Hmm...my heart was very touched when i heard it from Mam tiwi yesterday, i can imagine that i've right there at that time. That moment shows a condition when we are in the same religion, we have strong feeling of togetherness.It simply just like a medicine for a sickness of being lonely in the foreign country. Your experiences are full of struggle Mam...i'm very honest and proud to say that you are very strong to face a lot of problems there...
Best Regards...