Poem by Toeti Heraty

Lukisan Wanita 1938/ A Woman's Portrait 1938

by Toeti Heraty

Lukisan dengan lengkap citarasa giwang, gelang, untaian kuning hijau selendang, menyembunyikan kehamilan kehamilan maut yang nanti menjemput luput diredam kehamilan hidup yang nanti merenggut goresan dendam gejolak dan kemelut keprihatinan gagal direkam pada sapuan dan garis wajah yang menyerah, pada alur sejarah Lukisan dengan sapuan akhir yang cemerlang, kelengkapan wajah diperoleh dalam bingkai kenangan Juli 1989

The painting conveys her exquisite taste: ear studs, bracelets, green and yellow selendang; the sash conceals her pregnancy. The death she is carrying can’t be disguised. The life she carries will grasp and cling on. Yearning, restlessness and the turmoil of fear are not recorded in the brush-strokes, pencil outline of a face surrendering to the flow of history. The painting, with its final brilliant gesture, only fully reveals this face when it is framed by memory. July 1989 The literal translation of this poem was made by Ulrich Kratz The final translated version of the poem is by Carole Satyamurti