Karena Kobar Api: Kematian Sebuah Kota

Sajak Derek Walcott





Setelah kebaktian yang panas, segalanya runtuh kecuali langit salih,

maka kutulis dongeng dengan lemak kota mati tersebab kobar api;

Di bawah tatap mata lilin, yang mengabut di air mata, aku

ingin mengabarkan, lebih dari lilin, keyakinan yang terpilin seperti kawat.

Sepanjang hari, aku menyeberangkan langkah di antara puing dongeng,

Terperanjat pada tiap dinding yang tegak di jalan seperti pendusta;

Nyaring pekik burung langit, dan seluruh mendung terbungkus

koyak terkuak terampas, memucat putih, tersebab kobar api.

Pada laut berkabut, di mana Kristus melangkah, aku bertanya, kenapa

harus mengentalkan air mata, ketika keras dunianya cedera?

Di kota, dedaunan kertas, tapi bukit itu segembalaan keyakinan;

Kepada bocah yang sepanjang hari melangkah, daun adalah nafas hijau

Membangun lagi cinta yang kukira mati seperti kuku-kuku,

Memberkati kematian, ditahbiskan api berkobaran.





A City's Death By Fire

Derek Walcott



After that hot gospeller has levelled all but the churched sky,

I wrote the tale by tallow of a city's death by fire;

Under a candle's eye, that smoked in tears, I

Wanted to tell, in more than wax, of faiths that were snapped like wire.

All day I walked abroad among the rubbled tales,

Shocked at each wall that stood on the street like a liar;

Loud was the bird-rocked sky, and all the clouds were bales

Torn open by looting, and white, in spite of the fire.

By the smoking sea, where Christ walked, I asked, why

Should a man wax tears, when his wooden world fails?

In town, leaves were paper, but the hills were a flock of faiths;

To a boy who walked all day, each leaf was a green breath

Rebuilding a love I thought was dead as nails,

Blessing the death and the baptism by fire.