COLD UNREGISTERED

Cold unregistered
on the thermometer

The city only wet

The wind along the river
drives us away, yet we stay

there. As though

the drizzle vanishes
and the light swims

playing with colour

God, why can we be
happy?

– Jennifer Lindsay’s version of Goenawan Mohamad’s ‘Dingin Tak Tercatat’, pilfered from Linus Suryadi AG, Di Balik Sejumlah Nama, p. 212.

COLD UNREGISTERED

Cold unregistered
on the thermometer

City wet

The wind along the river
driving us away, yet we stay

rain invisible
and the light swimming

playing with colour

God, how can we ever
be happy?

– Harry Aveling’s version, also from Linus’s book, pp. 211-212.

Cold Unregistered

Cold unregistered
on the thermometer

The city is but wet

Along the river the wind
chases us away, but we stay

there. As if

the light were swiming
in rain unseen,

playing with colors.

God, why can we be this
happy?

– Laksmi Pamuntjak’s version in Goenawan Mohamad, Selected Poems, p. 33.