TENGGARA Ocober/ 1968
Dept. of English -Univ. of Malaya
Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia
w.s. rendra is one
of indonesia's leading living poets ...
POEMS
PROSTITUTES OF JAKARTA - Unit I
The prostitures of Jakarta
the greatest and the least
have been crushed
hunted
They are frightened
lost
offended and embarrassed
Regret as you may
but do not allow yourselves to be sacrificed
Prostitutes of Jarkata
Arise now
Comb your hair.
Having sorrowed
it is now your turn
-- not just to defend yourselves --
but to attack
So
Regret as you may
but do not allow yourselves to be sacrified
Sarinah!
Tell them
how you were called to the ministerial suite
and how he spoke long and deeply to you
about the national struggle
then suddenly -- not even finishing what he was saying
calling you the inspiration of the revolution
undid your bra.
You , Dasima
Tell the people
how all the leaders at the revolution
embraced you in turn
speaking of the prosperity of the masses and the flame
of revoltution
while their trousers were wet
and their bodies
sprawled beside you
Muscles exhausted and powerless
The politicians and senior civil-servants
are a bunch of rogues
Their congresses and conferences
wouldn't work without you
Who must never say no
because of the terror of hunger
and the yoke of poverty
and of your long futile search for work
School diplomas were useless
The section heads
could only open the door of opportunity
if you would open your thighs
And outside government
were only run-down businesses
with no vacancies --
The leaders' revolution
was a revolution of gods
They fought for heaven
not for this world
A revolution by gods
has never produced
many jobs
for the ordinary people --
You are a part of the unemployed
which they created
Still
Refret as you may
But don't despair
or allow yourself to be sacrificed.
Prostitutes of Jarkata
Give up being ashamed
When I read in the papers
how those clowns presecute you
accuse you of being the source of all the nation's troubles
I am enraged
You are my friends
I can't have this
God
what clownmouths
They have even politicised sex
My sisters
It is harder to overthrow you
than a political party.
They must give you work
Return your standing
Bear the weight of their mistake.
My sisters. Unite
Take up sticks
Wave your bras on the ends of them
Make a procession around the town
waving them like flags they have despoiled.
It is your turn to make demands
Tell them
That recommending the persecution of prostitutes
without also recommending
their marriage
is nonsense
Prostitutes of Jarkata
Sisters
Don't tremble before men
when quite easily
you can strip wretches
Doubt your prices
let them flounder
Strike for a month
confuse them
soon they will be committing adultery
with their brothers' wives.
A PICKPOCKET'S ADVICE TO HIS MISTRESS
Siti,
Now that I understand your position a little better
I shall deceive you no longer
with plans of marrying you
and leaving your man
(The birds, lady-like, fly, chasing each other
a sign that afternoon is drawing on
I sing in the bathroom as I wash my elegant body
I shall wait for you on the corner
wearing my laceblouse
and new skirt)
Your face is reasonable one
Face nursemaid to second wife of a high civil servant
What more could you want?
Marrying me would only spoil your chances
the days to come are obviously difficult
I don't have much fortune as a pickpocket
That's no matter
But I am not the right sort of father
for the baby you bear in your womb
(The birds, lady-like, by chasing each other
a sign that afternoon is drawing on
The sun lazily vomits in the ocean
stifling the people of Jarkata
Oh, the wind
Oh, my lover
My nerves are atremble
waiting your tongue's
licking of my body
Now I have never doubted your love for me
But love is only of secondary importance in life
Looking after yourself come first
Our hearts must be pure
You must struggle for your child's future
Start cheating your husband right-away
Siphon off some of what he owns
To make your own like easier
Your husband is a normal sort of senior civil-servant
He enjoys being bribed and bribing others
When he changes, cheat him
That is the way
Thieves deceive thieves, that's usual
Besides
Among thieves honour is like lipstick
Remember, first comes cunning
Secondly, courage
and third perseverance
Fourth, resoluteness, even in telling lies
This is how thieves live
So don't be worried
The little people can't stay beaten forever
(The birds , lady-like, fly chasing each other
a sign that afternoon is drawing on
I must pass you by today
-- My husband has arrived back --
Tonight
the foolish clown will try to play the acrobat
in my bed)
Always strive to improve your position
Strive to meet a minister
and to be his mistress
even though as mistress of a minister
you retain still your former lover
If he rejects your liaisons
As he keeps liaisons with you and his wife
It means he doesn't understand himself
Then kick him
Don't let your back of education scare you
as long as you are vigorous and your breasts firm
This always attracts them
your idle chatter will be of no concern
as long as you are spirited, assured and quite confident
The very model of a minister in fact
(The birds, lady-like, fly chasing each other
a sign that afternoon is drawing on
My thoughts fly back to that moment
when, busy watching the parade
you pinched my behind
-- that's how we met --
at least, after I kicked your leg
And now, each afternoon
like an over-ripe banana
I wait for your hand
to unfurl me)
Finally, what I hope for your child
-- Guard him day and night --
It's very likely he'll be a boy
Teach him to fight
to have no qualms about hitting from behind
D'ont let him judge character from a man's face
there are only two possibilities, friend, foe
Friends may be useful for a while
An enemy is evil -- teach him -- always
and must be crushed until destroyed
This is the art of survival
Teach him to seek the highest place possible
God forbid that he be a teacher or professor
That's a miserable thing, no money
Let him be a policeman or a soldier
So that he doesn't have to buy rice
But gets it from the state
With a nice uniform
Officially or not
his rights must always come first
When he wheedles as easily as you do
and his face is as cunning as mine -- well !
This is the perfect combination
I mean, he will be ready for politics
Who knows, maybe a member of parliament
Or even a minister
That is the very least for success in Jarkata
(The birds, lady-like, fly chasing each other
a sign that afternoon is drawing on
Buses ligh their lamps
Women put on lipstick
Tell me darling
where shall we meet next time)
w.s. rendra
(TENGGARA October/ 1968 - p. 21- 31)
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