oleh: Okky Madasari
Ia tinggalkan rumahnya
bersama bayang-bayang ibunya
yang mati terbakar
ditemani bisikan kakak perempuannya
yang kini kehilangan suara
diiringi desah teman perempuanya
yang tak lagi bisa melangkah.
Di pusat kota
seorang penjaga toko berkata
“Tutupi tubuhmu.
Kulit coklatmu akan menyusahkamu.”
Di tengah jalan
Seorang polisi berteriak
“Jangan pergi sendirian!
Banyak kucing kelaparan!”
Di ruang kuliah
seorang profesor berseru
“Your English is so bad!
This is not your place!”
Ia berjalan semakin jauh
di antara kucing-kucing kelaparan
bersama kulit coklatnya
dengan English yang tak akan
pernah jadi bahasanya
Ia perempuan dari Selatan
yang terus berjalan
dengan sisa-sisa
keberaniannya.
A Girl from The South
by: Okky Madasari
She leaves home
with the shadow of her mother
who dies burnt
along with her sister
who now loses her voice
followed by her girl friend
who can walk no more
Downtown
a shopkeeper told her
“cover your body.
Your brown skin will cause you trouble”
As she walks by
a police officer warns her
“Don’t walk alone!
So many cats are starving”
In a classroom
A professor shouts
“Your English is so bad!
This is not your place!”
She walks further
among the starving cats
with her brown skin
with English
never be her language
She is a girl from the South
who walks on
with whatever courage
she has left
