Pushkin's Poem in Malay (Puisi Pushkin dalam BM)

In 1999, I was asked to recite a poem for an event in commemoration of Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, a Russian dude who didn't blog when he was still alive. I was at a point in my life where politics, laws, courts, judges, unfair punishments and IMPRISONMENTS featured ever so often in my mind, so I naturally chose to recite Pushkin's poem entitled "Prisoner".

I had a Russian print-out of the poem as well as the translation in both English and Malay. I couldn't read in Russian, but from the writing, I realized that Pushkin applied the "a-a-b-b" rhyme pattern in every verse. There were no rhymes in the translated pieces, so I decided to translate the poem myself, maintaining the meaning while using words that could form the "a-a-b-b" rhyme pattern. This was the outcome of my attempt:

Tahanan
oleh Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin
(versi terjemahan Wira Budiman Azizan)

Terkurung aku di sangkar penjara
Lang yang sepi, dibelenggu lara
Rakanku mengelepakkan sayapnya sayu
Meratah daging berdarah nan layu

Dia mematuk, terhenti, memandang arahku
Bagaikan berkongsi fikiran lumrahku
Tangisan matanya menggamitku lagi
Bagaikan merayu, "Marilah pergi!

Kita burung bebas, tiba masanya, marilah!
Ke puncak salju sebalik awan terserlah
Ke samudera biru seluas azam terbuku
Ke alam jelajahan bayu.. dan daku.."

The content of this poem may seem quite simple. At the time of that recital (nearing the end of 1999), I did not realize how the same content would bring a DIFFERENT and more significant message to me (personally) in the future. Now, as we're coming to the end of 2007, I can just say that this poem expresses what I have been feeling for quite some time already.. but this is NOT about politics, laws, courts, judges or unfair punishments anymore..