NAGA : A Malaysian Tragedy

This is a prologue to a Malaysian ancient folklore, a tragedy.
For the most beautiful princess, lured by her first love, became a dragon.
This is the legend of the Chini Lake - NAGA.

Naga.

A  green and golden sea serpent rose from the sea foams 

and rode the waves. Angry, her fury was terrible to behold.

Bared fangs and outstretched claws glinted in the sun.

All the ships that passed through 

her lair perished. One thought repeated itself 

in her deep consciousness. Humans.

Betrayal.

Until a ship with crisp white sails approached.

The scent in the air stopped the Naga. She looked up. 

There was a lone girl on deck of the ship. 

She looked sad and lonely.

Srikandi.

Waterdrops fell like a string of pearls from the Naga’s eyes
and looked like sparkling tears.

Love.

Love stopped the Naga’s mindless rampage. Never again.
Sri Gemom dived into the depths of the sea.

Evermore.

*** 

Naga

Bangunnya ia dari busa laut, menunggang ombak 
Kemarahan naga menggunung, dahsyat 
Ngeri taring dan kuku menyentap.

Kesemua kapal yang singgah, yang lalu 
Naga musnahkan. Yang terlihat, yang terhidu 
Ahhh, manusia. Sungguh jemu.

Pengkhianat.

Sehingga sebuah kapal dengan layar putih menghampiri. 
Terhidu bauan dari tanahair - teratai dan serai wangi 
Seorang gadis di atas kapal sendirian 
Sedih dan kesepian.


Srikandi.

Titisan airmata jatuh bak mutiara berguguran 
 dari mata Naga bak mutiara berkilauan.

Kasih sayang.

Terhenti amukan Naga. Timbul nilai diri Putri.

Sri Gemom menyelam ke dasar laut menyendiri.

Selama-lamanya.

***

Naga

L'eau tombaient comme des perles des yeux

de la Naga et ressemblait à des larmes scintillantes.

Amour.

L'amour aveugle arrêté saccage du Naga. Jamais plus.

Sri Gemom plongé dans la mer bleu.

Jamais plus.

Copyright (c) 2012 ninotaziz

The lock

I stand here, before a door - my hand on the handle questioning still, why am I here, what lies ahead of me, the gateway to my past or future beckons silently. "Unlock the portal, be free!

Am I to step out
This chilly morn of greyness
Or  stay put - be still


There is a silence in the hallway, the guardians of timeless prisons hold the key, both to the reason and means for this imprisonment of mind and soul,  the lost ones - we are neither aware nor do we care

Frozen inertia
My heart is the lock I hold
To my own doomed cell


And yet, this morning, at dawn break, oh! how glorious
Even though in my mind only, the sun rises above an imagined horizon
And I realise it is my first ever notion of time ?
I awaken with realisation of self, my toes, my nails

I sing aloud
Hitherto quiet, I can't hide
This bursting joy inside

In a moment of utter abandon, the ceiling cracks, the doors fling open wide to let in the river of awareness rushing, gushing, spilling over the floors of cold marble -warm, pulsing, swishing at my feet, and I dive
Into its embracing life


I am born !
And I swim towards the light
I gasp for air - I cry.

I unlock the gates of heaven and fall into the arms of a mortal - roar in triumph, oh joyous celebration.

I am home.

written for haiku heights

Copyright 2012 © zalina abdulaziz @ ninotaziz