Monday, July 18, 2011

I Seek Hang Jebat

I Seek Hang Jebat

I seek Hang Jebat in the book of time
I scream his name
I find nothing in skin and bones
my people weeping in exhaustion

The Keris Taming Sari they posses not
lost in the scattering of dreams
I find no burning determination
my people confused by genealogies

They ask who own the story of Hang Jebat
nobody answers
because the reply has never been penned
except engraved in the heart
but sadly the owner of that heart has died

I seek Hang Jebat as a symbol
as an alma mater of my race being exposed
and evicted
oh, that is how the story of Hang Jebat arranged
then struck
not becauce there is no true owner of the story
but since my people have lost their ability
to rise the same level as Shakespeare

I see Hang Jebat in the faces of my people
pale and withdrawn
tongues stiffened
his sword dance out of step

I seek Hang Jebat - nowhere
I seek Hang Tuah - what more then


Ariff Muhamad
Tanjong Malim
From The Window of this Epoch