A Song of the World
(freely from WS Rendra’s
“Nyanyian Duniawi”)


As the moon sleeps with a rich old lady,
I silently kiss him in the mango orchard
and his heart goes wild with desire.

We trample our earthly concerns
of thirst and hunger underfoot.
Our miseries reach out to each other.

The passion of our rebellion
roars in the dark and his ballsy
laughter gladdens my heart.

In the shadows of trees his body glistens
like a golden deer. His unflinching
breasts are like fruit just ripe;

his sweet fragrance the smell
of fresh grass. I embrace him,
as if embracing existence itself,

and his quickening sighs he whispers
to my ears. How amazed he is at the rainbow
that appears from closing our eyes!

Then all our former boyfriends
appear from the shadows
and come closer to us;

dressed in their ragged clothes
they stand like spectators
watching over us.