Mocha Skin Garden / Kulit moka tanah sekebun

by Jack Malik

The piece, originally in Malay, was published in Selangorkini on 28 October 2021. Click the arrow (>) to learn more about this piece

English translation:

Original Malay:

keceroian titih kulit moka yang belum dapat pengesahan; rampai sari kerabu asalmula & anekaraya ​ usulpangkal: akulah sakar sukar— sejarah syukur & sabar, masih lagi belajar nama-nama seakaran angin ​ brehi yang memaniskan bahasa pulang. antara pekan dipalu harum tengkujuh; bandar diketuhari wangi ​ bahang utara berbau macam putih kopi— di sinilah tempat lidah pelajari maksud sebenar baca. dengan nama kepulangan. ​ dengan nama tuhanmu. dengan nama serendah tanah sekebun. dengan nama sebatang pokok: aku kembali. aku kembali. aku kembali. kembali & kembali.

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Jack Malik is a poet from Ipoh, Perak MY. He is part of an artist collective called Projek Rabak. Jack has two poetry collections in Malay titled Wannabe Sasau (2019) and Sajakjakja(c)k (2020). Jack is also one of the recipients of the Selangor State Literary Prize (known as Hadiah Sastera Selangor) in 2020 for poetry.

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