J. E. Tatengkeng (1907-1968), "頭等艙旅客" @ 蔗尾蜂房

J. E. Tatengkeng (1907-1968)

頭等艙旅客
--J. E. Tatengkeng (1907-1968)

我30歲以前
搭船總是坐在甲板上
如今，拜我朋友的奮鬥之賜
以及國家主權的轉移
我坐上了頭等艙

我成了一個
部隊視察官
上下走動
建設國家

每晚我在沙龍打打橋牌
喝喝啤酒
對侍者發發脾氣

我從不用寫報告

我下船時
會賞工人五毛錢
五月一日嘛

Penumpang Kelas I
--J. E. Tatengkeng (1907-1968)

Sampai umurku 30 tahun
aku selalu menumpang dek.
Kini, berkat perdjuangan temanku
dan penjerahan kedaulatan
aku menumpang kelas I.

Aku salah seorang
barisan pegawai menindjau
jang mondar mandir
membangun tanah air.

Saban malam disalon main bridge
dan minum bir
dan marah-marah sama pelajan.

Aku tak pernah tulis lapuran.

Aku turun kedarat,
Aku bajar sesuku pada buruh
dalam bulan Mei tanggal satu.

Traveler First Class
--J. E. Tatengkeng (1907-1968), translated by James S. Holmes

Before I was thirty
I was never more than a deck passenger.
Thanks to the efforts of my friends
And the transfer of sovereignty
I’m now a traveler first class.

I’m one of the army
Of inspection officials
Wandering
From island to island
Building up the country

Every evening I play bridge in the salon
And drink my beer
And rage at the waiter.

I’ve never written a report.

I disembark
And give half a rupiah
For the workers on the first of May.

Burton Raffel, The Development of Modern Indonesian Poetry, The State University of New York Press, 1967, p.112.