Theodore Roethke (1908 - 1963)
I remember the neckcurls, limp and damp
as tendrils;
And her quick look, a sidelong pickerel smile;
And how, once startled into talk, the light syllables leaped for her,
And her quick look, a sidelong pickerel smile;
And how, once startled into talk, the light syllables leaped for her,
And she balanced in the delight of her thought,
Her song trembling the twigs and small branches.
The shade sang with her;
The leaves, their whispers turned to kissing,
And the mould sang in the bleached valleys under the rose.
Oh, when she was sad, she cast herself
down into such a pure depth,
Even a father could not find her:
Scraping her cheek against straw,
Stirring the clearest water.
Even a father could not find her:
Scraping her cheek against straw,
Stirring the clearest water.
My sparrow, you are not here,
Waiting like a fern, making a spiney shadow.
The sides of wet stones cannot console me,
Nor the moss, wound with the last light.
Waiting like a fern, making a spiney shadow.
The sides of wet stones cannot console me,
Nor the moss, wound with the last light.
If only I could nudge you from this
sleep,
My maimed darling, my skittery pigeon.
Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love:
I, with no rights in this matter,
Neither father nor lover.
My maimed darling, my skittery pigeon.
Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love:
I, with no rights in this matter,
Neither father nor lover.
adapted from : http://gawow.com/roethke/poems/98.html
Syair Ratapan untuk Jane
Muridku, terjatuh dari kuda
Theodore Roethke (1908 - 1963)
Dalam ingatanku burung, pincang, dan basah seperti sulur
Dan sekejap, dia tersenyum dari arah
Dan betapa, sesekali terkejut dalam kicaunnya, beserta kata-kata ringan terlontar baginya
Dan Dia tetap dalam kesenangan pikirannya
Kicauan, kesenangan, dan ekor yang terkibas angin
Kicauannya menggetarkan ranting dan dahan kecil
Bayangan bernyanyi bersamanya
Daun, bisikan berganti ciuman
Dan bernyanyi dilembah putih bawah bunga mawar
Oh, ketika dia sedih, melihatlah dia kedalam kesedihan yang dalam
Pun Bapa tak dapat menemukannya
Tergesek pipinya dengan jerami
Mengaduk paling kejernihan air
Burung pipitku, kau tak disini
Menunggu seperti pakis, membuat bayangan berduri
Batu basahpun tak dapat menghiburku
Bukan kekacauan, terluka dengan cahaya terakhir
Andai saja diriku dapat membangunkan dari tidurmu
Sayangku yang terluka, burung merpatiku
Diatas gundukan basah ini ku ungkapkan kata cinta
Aku, tanpa kebenaran dalam hal ini
Tidak ayah ataupun kekasih