Full Text

FROM IIWII' purlH TO SU"S"'" SE'III: A
TEITDEAllSM APPROACH TOWARDS MASURI
S.N:S POETRY
Tengku Inlan Marlina Tengku Mohd. Ali
linmarlin@um.,IIu.mJl
Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib
Ikiki,,,ur,[email protected]
Academy of Malay Studies
Universiti Malaya
ABSTRACT
Masuri S.N. was one of the most importantfigures in the development
of modern Malay poetry. However, his importance is rarely discussed
in a scholarly environment. This research discusses Masuri S.N.'s
entire body of poetic work produced throughout his life, in doing
so it uses the Textdealism Theory established by Mana Sikana.
The researchers describe the excellence of Masuri S.N's poems,
which simultaneously solidifies his authority as the father of modern
Malay poetry. Research has found that during his life as a poet, he
consistently altered his poetic style to improve the quality of his work.
In line with the Textdealism Theory, those alterations followed the
guidelines and principles of presence, strengthening, collision and
individualism. This study, among other things, provides a rationale
for Masuri S.N to be considered one of the best poets in the field of
Malay literature.
Keywords: Masuri S.N., ASAS 50, Textdealism, poetry, presence,
collision, strengthening, Individualism, excellence
Preliminaries
Efforts to find a contemporary text that can be considered a magnum
opus or a Malay literary masterpiece are still being carried out even
though the need to search for a text with such characteristics has been
undertaken for quite some time by Malay literature activists, researchers
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and observers. Such researchers and critics tend to evaluate a particular
text according to the scope of theories and certain approaches to
explain the authorship skills of a writer. Looking from a different angle,
it would be justified to say that efforts to improve "authorship skills" is
innately desired by every writer to continuously produce a quality work.
Certainly, every text produced by a writer also mirrors his ambition to
produce a text that can be considered excellent and of high quality.
Indeed, such ambitions would further influence the overall image of
the text produced.
The exploratory process on the notion of "ambition" later led us
to approach the Theory of Ideal Text 1 to explain the writer's poems,
including the phases he went through prior to achieving the level of
excellence that he has accomplished.
Consistent with the context of the study, we chose to review the poems
of the late Masuri Salikun or Masuri S.N. to ascertain a phenomenon
contained in his writings such that he is considered an important literary
figure in the history of Malay poetry which left him with no doubt as a
revered laureate in the development of Malay poetry. To describe these
phenomena, the researcher approached the work using the Textdealism
theory (textdealism).
The Textdealism Theory (Textdealism)
The Textdealism theory was introduced by Abdul Rahman Napiah
(Mana Sikana), a prominent scholar who has actively conducted various
types of studies on Malay literary texts. The theory was first formally
introduced in Jurnal Rumpun (1995), published by PerpustakaanAlam
dan Tamadun Melayu, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malay World
&Civilisation Library, U niversiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). Nevertheless,
the theoretical framework was actually introduced in the 1980s and
later expanded, enhanced and perfected to produce the theory known
as the Textdealism, theory of literature. The Textdealism Theory was
supposedly in an "effort to reduce dynamism and development from
slowing down".
In the Textdealism Theory, the four principles of texdealism are
referred to as guidelines, methods and innovation mechanisms, as well
as a means of analysing the achievement of excellence, i.e. the principles
of presence, collision, strengthening and individualism/personality. All
of these are interconnected and though they each play unique roles in
ensuring that a particular text has the characteristics of excellence or
1Hereby referred to as Texdealisme from this point forth.
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bears the necessary grounds in order to be identified as an excellent
work or otherwise.
The Presence Principle
The principle of presence in Textdealism refers to one's experience
(Mana Sikana, 2007:49).
The basis of the theory is on the hypothesis that experience plays
an important role in the creative development of a writer. Experience
would trigger and shape ideas to produce a sound text. Ideas, resulting
from experience, that is pre-existent in the writer's mind are not limited
by sources and references. So long as an experience aids in generating
ideas and contribute to an author's development, it can be called
a source or experience. Presence can appear in various elements,
whether inspiration, reflection, remembrance, memories, experience,
observation, research, influence and suchlike. However, experience has
to be processed through meaning and interpretation. The experience has
to undergo re-evaluation either through change of meaning, increase
or decrease. This idea will expand, mature and finally be transformed
by the author in the form of text.
The appearance of experience can occur in two forms, intentional
or unintentional. Unintentional presence happens before the formation
of ideas or the text writing process begins. Subsequent experience
then generates ideas in the author's subconsciously. Apart from that,
unintentional presence also occurs during the text writing process.
Intentional presence only happens after the formation of an idea.
This presence is obtained through research intentionally undertaken
to gather information on something, either directly or indirectly. Direct
research is through books, television, observation and suchlike. Indirect
research may just be reflection on past experience stored in the mind
and which requires the writer to piece together his memories to create
a particular idea that can later be interpreted in the form of text.
Besides the author's various experiences, this theory also emphasises
the presence of experience in the public. When a reader reads a text,
a new experience begins. The presence of experience varies from one
reader to another. The effect will be influenced by the reader's own prior
experiences. An experienced reader can have multiple interpretations
of the text while an inexperienced reader might only have a single
interpretation of the same text. Mana Sikana asserted that in order to
understand the meaning of a literary text the experience of the subject
needs to be analysed. As such, the interpretation of a text requires a
process of definition of the author's experience contained in a text. The
study and analysis is undertaken to gain the author's actual meaning
contained in the text. Steps to be taken include searching for the author's
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source of experience and then building and reinforcing his experience
revealed in the text to reach the factual text This aspect of presence
is analysed by Textdealism from three angles. First, what are the facts
present and where is the source of it presence? Second, how is the
fact present in the said text? And third, what is the function and effect
of its presence?
The Collision Principle
In the framework of the Textdealism Theory, collision shows the value
of consideration whether to maintain or to change something in an
attempt to create excellent text. In this matter, collision can be defined
as a dynamic creation process to search for innovation in work (Mana
Sikana, 1996:79). The main purpose of the collision principle in the
Textdealism theory is to point out the author's awareness in creating
masterpieces and at the same time show the level of excellence. His
philosophy leans on the perception that there is a desire in every author
to innovate and improvise in each work produced.
Mana Sikana also asserted that dissatisfaction causes an author to
strive for a better text than that produced before and that an author who
is aware of his authorship will try to innovate with every piece of work he
produces. It is these innovative, experimental and stable attributes that
support the birth of modern, postmodernist, avant garde, arrirregarde
texts and suchlike. The collision principle analyses the retained and
altered elements in every aspect related to creative world.
Textdealism also holds that an excellent work requires an excellent
structure. This means that analysis can be done on the retention and
changes from literary convention, traditional texts tradition and anything
related to these. Aspects of discourse or language are key factors of
excellence. A rhetorical author engaged in discourse is accepted as a
special case and writing in this way is assumed to be the mark of an
established writer.
In an attempt to cause collision, an author has to be bold and clever
to innovate, improvise, and revolutionise in order to remove himself
and his text from the conventional text cocoon. The collision principle
also relates closely to the lntertextuality Theory of Julia Kristeva which
expanded on the thoughts and Dialogism Theory of Mikhel Bakhtin
which refers to the author's intertextual process regarding his previous
work, or towards the work of other authors. An author must have the
courage to produce text as a demonstration of Intellectualism, and applied
constructive epistemologism relating to metaphysics and philosophy.
(Mana Sikana, 1996:57).
In all, there are three stages of analysis when surveying this collision
principle. First is to see what are the elements of retention and change
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used by the author. Second, how was the collision done? Third, what is
the function and effect on text construction? From these, it can be learnt
to what extent the collision has occurred and the level of excellence
can be measured - whether the author has succeeded or otherwise in
bringing new effects to the text.
The Strengthening Principle
Strengthening is defined as the author's effort to mature in order to
produce excellent text and to perfect his identity as an author. The
author will use his ability to improvise the text that is produced. Strictly,
strengthening is the effort required to innovation in a work and also the
process of maturing, tightening and perfecting a work.
There are early steps taken by the author as part of the strengthening
of a work. The author will probably examine his text looking for
weaknesses and strengths in it as a work before comparing it with the
work of other authors he has read. Through this experience, an author
may detect and identify his own work's weaknesses and strengths and
consequently strive to fix them.
Strengthening can be done through a process of defamiliarisation,
through which the author amends the original text with the intention of
giving improved meaning. Mana Sikana (1996:69) has stated that in
order to produce an excellent work, clever imitation is allowed, by taking
one or a few works with respect and responsibility. The text used as a
model must be good as well as produced by an author who has proven
his greatness. The word "copy" means studying and analysing a good
text so as to produce a good text. In this context, Textdealism allows
healthy imitation as it holds that a text cannot stand on its own.
Textdealism Theory analyses the steps taken by the author, as
depicted in the text produced, to gauge the extent of the strengthening
effort. In studying a text, it questions the surrounding strengthening and its
development as a text aiming at excellence. In the public domain, when
the text is read, the reading experience will also constantly experience
solidification to be regarded as excellent by the public.
This strengthening aspect was analysed by Textdealism from three
angles. First, what are the facts that exist and where is the source of
their existence? Second, how do the facts appear in the text? And third,
what is the function and the effect of the appearance?
The Personality Principle
The Personality principle is the final component of the Textdealism
Theory after its three other basic principle are fulfilled. The Personality
or Individualism principle is the most important of the principles. The
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philosophy of the Textdealism Theory in the Personality principle insists
that each author has to try to produce or create a personality or their
own individual characteristics.
According to Mana Sikana, in an effort to differentiate oneself, the
Textdealism theory isn't just about knowing and understanding the
presence, collision and strengthening functions in 8nalysing text in
order to be recognised as an author or an excellent text, it is also a
mechanism to analyse the personality of an author. When the three
earlier principles are stamped on and incorporated harmoniously within
a text, an author has reached a level of excellence and has his own
individual characteristics.
Shah non Ahmad, for example is synonymous with the issue of
Malay poverty, particularly Malay farmers in Sanggol Oerdap, Sik,
Kedah as well as being very susceptible to the current developments
in national politics. The public made the two subjects, poverty and
politics, individual subjects. Shahnon Ahmad eventually also became
author with individuality (Mana Sikana, 2007:511).
The Textdealism Theory also emphasise ideology to decide on an
author's individuality. According to Terry Eagleton (in Mana Sikana,
2007:34) ideology comprises six components: ideas, beliefs, life values,
philosophy, struggle, quality and strength. All six components have to
be incorporated into an author's work to achieve an excellent standard.
An author, ignorant about ideology will never become a distinguished
author. Texts produced will also never achieve excellence. When
an excellent author delivers an excellent text, his individuality will be
highlighted.
Analysis of Masuri S.N.'s poetry
Masuri S.N. wrote in various literary genres. However, a literary observer
cannot deny that Masuri S.N.'s main contribution is to Malay modern
poetry. Furthermore, Masuri S.N. is also considered to be Singapore's
father of modern Malay poetry. This is explained by Umar Junus (1976:
174 - 75) .
... then it cannot be denied, that if Masuri S.N. is considered to be the
originator of poetic life in the development of modern Malay literature
in Malaya. Masuri has really tried to devote himself to Malay poetry,
and he has the right to be referred to as a poet ... maybe it can
be said that the history of modern Malay poetry in Malaya largely
connects to Masuri's life.
Masuri's work can be divided into six main groups, namely
his poems during the Japanese Occupation, his poems after
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World War II, his poems after the independence, his poems after
Singapore's separation from Malaysia, and his poems after the
development of Singapore as a cosmopolitan city. Notwithstanding this,
the researchers combine his poems produced during the Japanese era
and after the Second World War as it is difficult to make a firm distinction
between Masuri's work during the Japanese era and that post-World
War II as these two groups of poems are overlapping. This cluster of
poems has been termed poetry in the colonial era.
Poetry in the Colonial Era
In the course of his life as a poet, Masuri produced more than 1000
poems for the benefit of fans of Malay poetry. The most widely discussed
portion of his prolific work is his early poems, namely those produced
during the Japanese era, in particular "Bunga Sakura" and "Ros Kupuja".
Masuri's poems of that era were published in his first collection of
poetry, titled Awan Putih (1958), which consisted of his poems written
from 1944 to 1951.
World War II provided particular experiences for the Malays. The
Malay poets were no exception from this. They were strongly affected
by events around the end of World War II and the withdrawal of the
Japanese army from Malaya.
Post-Independence Poems
Malay Independence was assumed by the poets, including Masuri S.N.,
to be independence for themselves. Furthermore, independence was the
core issue constantly being fought over by the poets, be it implicitly or
explicitly. This matter was raised by Masuri S.N. himself (2006:201).
Actually since before 1948, which was during the three years and eight
months Japanese Occupation, a deep awareness existed among the
leaders and the people about the need to live independently. The
desire for and aspiration to gain independence for the homeland led
to a life and death struggle.
The phenomenon also played a role in the formation of Angkatan
Sasterawan '50 which came to be considered as one of the most
important writer's associations in the history of Malay literature. The
formation of ASAS'50 was the historic starting point for Malay literature
and is believed to have influenced the independence of Malaya itself,
especially the choice of Malay as the primary language when the country
gained independence.
However, after independence was achieved, ASAS'50's struggle
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began to change when writers coming from the peninsula began to return
home. The effect of this was that Masuri began to feel more pressure
regarding the question of fighting for Malay literature in Singapore.
Nevertheless, while facing this pressure, there was also optimistic tone
that the struggle still would continue. This was expressed by Masuri S.N.
(2005:206): "ASAS'50 can still make progress through those writers who
live and were born in Singapore. Particularly, MAS, Noor S.I., Suradi
Parjo, A.Ghani Hamid and the writer himself."
Certainly, an optimistic tone can be traced in his poems of this period,
particularly in the Bunga Pahit (1967) and Se/agi Hayat Dikandung
Badan (1970) collections.
Post-Separation Poems
The year 1965 marked a very bitter year for the independence fighters,
particularly those in the field of literature and language in Singapore.
That year they were forced to realise that now they were really alone in
the battle for Malay literature and language. The separation of Singapore
from Malaysia marked the end of the brotherhood between the two
countries. In the sadness that surrounded the separation, the laureates
and writers from Singapore clearly showed a tendency to express their
disappointment and sorrow. Masuri's poems produced after the separation,
Dalam Makna (1984) and Singgah (1987), are cases in point.
Poems of Singapore's Development
The 1980s are regarded as an era of very rapid development for
Singapore. Even though the process of developing Singapore began
much earlier, the 1980s saw the resettlement of more Singaporeans
into flats. At the same time, it also witnessed the transition from life in
the village to life in flats, which is considered more modern. As a result
of the modernization policy, houses in Malay villages were demolished
to develop taller buildings and accommodate more people.
Alongside the wave of modernisation brought about by the leaders
of Singapore, there was also the crumbling of rustic values together
with the demolition of wood and brick. These matters can be observed
in Masuri's poems from the period 1987 to 2003 including Puisi-Puisi
Pilihan Masuri S.N. (1995), Mimpi Panjang Seorang Penyair (1995),
and Suasana Senja (2003) among others.
Presence Principle
The presence of experience indeed relates closely to Masuri S.N.'s
poetry. Experience was one of the key aspects in his effort to produce
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excellent work, this was stated by Masuri S.N. himself in his essay
"Pengalaman Saya Dalam Menulis Sajak" (Sekitar Sajak, 1965:53),
where he wrote:
With increasing age combined with additional reading and experience
of mankind, and accordingly between feeling and not, my experience
increased, such that it opened up my feeling and mind in writing
those poems ...
This statement, strengthens the fact that poems do not exist in
a vacuum and are influenced by all the phenomena surrounding the
poet in his life journey. Masuri's direct experience continued to be
incorporated and arranged before being made concrete in the form of
the arrangement of lines and stanzas to create poetry.
In this matter, Masuri S.N.'s presence characteristics in the field of
writing poetry can be divided into four main parts, namely: Masuri S.N.'s
experiences during the colonial era, Masuri S.N.'s experience after
Malaya achieved independence, Masuri S.N.'s experience during the
time of the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, and Masuri S.N.'s
experience during the era of Singapore's development as an advanced
cosmopolitan city.
Experience during the Colonial Period
The colonial period for Singapore and the peninsular actually began
in 1819. However, for the purpose of this paper, the colonisation of
Singapore will be treated as beginning in 1942, that is at the beginning of
the Japanese Occupation of Singapore which ended in 1945. However,
the colonisation of Malaya continued until 1957, which is the year that
Malaya achieved independence from the British.
The colonial period was a time of despair for the Malays. However, at
the start of this colonisation, the Japanese were regarded as "saviours"
of Eastern society with the Asia Raya concept that they brought. At
the time, Japan had the spirit and energy to expand its influence and
territory to parts of Asia to form Asia Timor Raya consisting of Manchuria,
mainland China, the Philippine Archipelago, Indonesia, Malaya, Thailand,
Indo-China and Russia under Japanese leadership. Using the concept
or notion of Hakko Ichiu (Prosperity with Asia Raya) and slogan "Asia
for Asians", Japan manipulated the minds of Asians to support it based
on the belief that prosperity could be achieved through that concept.
The early years of the Japanese Occupation consequently gave
renewed spirit to the Malay fighters to look favourably on the Japanese
fight as well as the prosperity of the Malays themselves. Masuri S.N.
was no exception to this phenomenon as a Malay poet also affected by
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the events surrounding the Occupation. Masuri S.N.'s optimistic tone
in this regard can be observed in two poems now thought of as among
his best work. These works are Bunga Sakura (Masuri S.N., 1995:3)
and Perajurit Negara (in Masuri S.N., 1995:5) which clearly record his
optimistic tone towards the Japanese invasion.
These two poems clearly record Masuri S.N.'s feelings toward Japan.
Clearly, he was also influenced by the Asia Raya concept and urged
Malay society to work hand in hand with Japan to defend the Asia Raya
notion. However, more importantly, the two poems show how Masuri's
experience became the capital for producing work that is considered
good. Masuri's had the impulse to write poems based on his personal
experiences during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore which lasted
from 15 February 1942 to 15 August 1945.
Nevertheless, that optimistic feeling later changed when Masuri
S.N. began to realise the true nature of the occupation which was later
recorded in Rayuan Kelana (Masuri S.N., 1975:5). The experience of
witnessing the chaos of war drove Masuri S.N. to write poems to urge
his race to fight for the country to be free of colonisers and thus change
their fate. Masuri S.N. recorded the emotions and feelings of society
at that time as well as voicing out the desires hidden in his soul and in
the heart of society. In other words, Masuri S.N. became the voice of
the masses.
The presence of war experience is shown in his second collection
of poems, Warna Suasana (1962), including Kami Anak Zaman Ini,
Memberi dan Menerima, Kepada Manusia Baru and several others
which show that the idea of these poems was still based on the effect
and consequences of the presence of war experiences. Poetry became
a tool to provoke readers or his race to free the country from colonisers.
This can be clearly observed in Me/angkah Sekarang (Masuri S.N.,
1966:32) which, among other things, mentions:
Who cares who's looking
If you yourself don't act,
Wild or not wild is now not the calculation
Because this situation requires immediate change.
Masuri S.N. recorded his impatience to see the end of the despair
surrounding himself and his society at the time. He was resigned to
his task and realised that efforts to change the situation had to begin
with him himself and not to expect help or assistance from any other
parties.
Experience of the Post-Independence Age
As a fighter, activist, poet and humanitarian, Masur; S.N. played a
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large role to increase the awareness of independence coveted all the
while by Malay society, although rarely voiced in any concrete manner.
Masuri S.N. recorded what was buried deep in the heart of Asian
society, particularly Malay society. As such, it cannot be denied that the
formation of Angkatan Sasterawan '50 was heavily influenced by the
ideology led by Angkatan '45 which at that time was greatly influenced
by the Indonesian socio-cultural fight.
Life experience and socio-cultural and political instability coloured the
work produced by the literary movement Angkatan '45. The literary work of
that movement touched on the pressing issue of grasping independence
as can be traced in Chairil Anwar's poems, a prolific figure in Angkatan
'45. Angkatan '45 carried the ideology "Surat Kepercayaan Gelengan"
that was later translated by Asas '50 after the call "Art for Society" which
used art as a platform to present the notions of intellectual movements
and poets towards the independence of society.
However, after Malaya finally achieved independence in 1957, Asas
'50 appeared to have lost its relevance. This affected Masuri S.N. as
the pioneer of that movement which, in the blink of an eye, lost the
direction and the qiblatof solid writing. Thereafter, Masuri S.N. showed
a tendency to dwell more on humanitarian issues which he realised were
collapsing following independence as well as there being an increased
in the number of people he classed as pretentious (Masuri S.N., 1995:
78) and two-faced Kata (Masuri S.N., 1998:79).
The characteristics and attitudes of citizens following Independence
were incorporated by Masuri S.N. in his work after his observation that
humans lose their human values after becoming free and independent.
It can be observed that the issues of independence and freedom have
clearly changed mankind's humanity and the independence of spirit
and spiritual values of humanity itself from insincerity and dishonesty
in all deeds.
Experience in the Post-Separation Era
The separation of Singapore from Malaya on 9 August 1965 marked
a third stage of the poetic era in Singapore. This period was one of
disappointment, despair and its effect on Singapore Malay society
which had to sever connections with Malaysia. This was explained by
Mana Sikana (2009:28).
The separation with Malaysia on 9 August 1965, an event hard to
forget and to recall, is like a knife that cuts the heart of history. All this
while, Singaporean writers in their writing and activities, have been
from the same garden or history with the journey of their brothers
in the peninsula, but with this separation it means they have to be
independent.
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The separation later coloured the development of Singapore
literature which asserted the growing autonomy of ASAS '50 which had
to accede to separation from Malay literary development in Malaysia.
In this matter, Masuri S.N. and other Singaporean writers gradually felt
the area in which they expressed and submitted their work to members
of society becoming restricted. Before separation, Singaporean writers
could easily send their work to the few available publishers around
Malaysia, the situation was different after separation took place. This
caused Singapore literary and linguistic fighters to feel that their battle
to expand Singaporean literature and language was more difficult and
realised that they were really alone in fighting for literature (Masuri
S.N., 2006:60).
The experience of separation caused Masuri S.N. as well as other
literary figures from Singapore to express their disappointment and
despair about the suffering caused by separation by transforming it into
poetry. This can be traced in Masuri S.N.'s poems produced after the
separation Dalam Makna (1984) and Singgah (1987).
The separation experience covers poems produced by Masuri S.N.
who, even though he acceded to the separation, actually still hoped
it was only a temporary episode in Singapore's history. Masuri S.N.'s
desire for Malaysia and Singapore to reconnect shaped his spiritual
urge at that time. He voiced this in Jauh dalam Diam (Masuri S.N.,
1995: 156) among others:
Distant within quietness
We are friends
Words and life
Fighting and breaking sorrow
From valuing anxiety
Distant within quietness
Mind working
Turning and pulling the roots
From the finest of suffering.
Poems written by Masuri S.N. at the time were further strengthened
by his personal experience as a person who personally experienced and
felt the separation. Notwithstanding that "within quietness" accepted the
fact, his deep disappointment at what had happened can be observed
in his poems from the next era.
Experience in the Era of Singapore's Development
The development of Singapore as a cosmopolitan city was highly
regarded by society. However, for Masuri himself, the development
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of Singapore was seen as a contributing factor to immorality and the
widespread collapse of human values. Alongside the wind of development,
all moral and social problems were seen by Masuri to be the result of
the development itself.
Among other things, Masuri S.N. witnessed the problems of Singapore
Malays such as education problems, with very few Malay students
continuing their education to university level and the involvement of
Malay youths with drugs. However, Masuri S.N. did not openly expose
problems faced in the development of Malay society but looked at from
a broader perspective, namely "problems in the life of the race". Masuri
S.N. submits that "problems in the life of the race" was concerns life
in the city full of social problems and life full of problems. Masuri S.N.
in his poems tried to encourage society not to keep quiet in facing
those problems. Society needed to stand up to overcome the Malay
race problems of the time. An example can be seen in the poem Kau
(Masuri S.N., 1995:192).
You procrastinate
Filling up work solving efforts
You sigh
Found confusion rioting the road
You evade
Through the presence of the fight in the middle, you turned away
Facing chaos in front of you, you glanced
Then it comes
A decision not to be able to sigh
All roads heading forward
All avoiding turning towards devastation.
The above poem draws on his own experience of people who are
becoming trapped in their own activities in the name of development.
Those activities were subsequently admitted to be factors of inhumanity
within mankind and the universe. This matter is depicted by Masuri S.N.
(2003: 11) in Makin Keeil:
in the universe
the voice of humanity quenching the thirst
crawling pleading
a bit of the breath recognising the air
cities getting suffocated
anxiety getting hotter
car smoke
swirling
on wheels
that keep on turning
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darkens
the port of the eye
that narrows
beneath the heaps
bricks of the building
that get taller;
few birds isolated
flapping their wings calling
the voice of humanity getting smaller
Mahsuri S.N. based the poems he produced at the time on his
experience as a researcher and observer of society. It can be seen
and understood that Mahsuri S.N.'s anxieties were mostly layered on
his direct experience as pushing points of his work.
The Collision Principle
Masuri S.N. as a pioneer of modern Malay poetry always tried to innovate
and improve the works he produced. This process is important to ensure
that his work continues to reach the level of excellence. As a writer,
it is clear that Masuri S.N.'s properties and characteristics conform
with the Textdealism Theory. Changes introduced by Masuri S.N. into
the world of poetic writing can be seen from 1949, in his poem Tiada
Peduli, which exhibits release or deviation from the characteristics of
a traditional Malay poem. It can be observed that his poetry has not
only achieved the strength or the maturity of content or thought but also
sound technical delivery.
Shape Collision
In Masuri S.N.'s poems from his first collection of poems, Awan Putih
(1969) until his final collection of poems, Suasana Senja (2003), it is
apparent that there were changes after some technical collision. If one
looks at Masuri S.N.'s early poems, most were very close to traditional
Malay poems or poems leaning towards pantun and syair. This can be
seen especially in his poems produced around the 1940s. Even his
poems produced in the 1950s and 1960s were mostly influenced by
pantun and syair.
However, Masuri S.N. used the collision technique being a different
technique from conventional poems, in his poems produced from around
the 1970 until 1986, as his tendency to produce poems influenced by
pantun and syair was reduced. Poems by Masuri became free form,
meaning they were no longer bound to certain rules, like the last rhyme
a b a b or a a a a and the number of lines in each stanza being four. An
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MALAY LITERATURE
example of a free form poem is Percakapan HaN contained in collection
Singgah (Masuri S.N, 1995:169).
Very alone when asked
Will it continue beating
Without voice
With the surrounding
Teasing the pleasure
Are you still writing
Sentence
The people who are trapped
Still not knowing
You with your searching claws
Treading shadows
Lights toys
The brightest spotlight
Behind the black screen
The above poem comprises two stanzas. The first stanza contains
eight lines while second stanzas contains six lines. The number of
syllables is not balanced, and a few lines even consist of just one or
two words. The rhyme at the end of each line is also free.
Besides free form poems such as that above, there are also a
few poems by Masuri S.N. which contain only one stanza, like the
poem Pertanyaan which is found in the poetry collection Singgah
(Masuri .N., 1995:203)
Inquiry after inquiry
Never ends
Within the increasingly narrow me
Facing
Joy in the waves
Human
Stepping aside from saying
The truth
The ignored become blurry
In confusion
But will continue screaming
If unleashed
But continues to rebel
If unanswered
The poem Singgah continues the free-creation style without being
bound to a traditional rhyming structure. However, in the above poem,
Masuri went even further by including only one single long stanza in
the poem.
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TENGKU INTAN MARLINA &MUHAMMAD JAILANI
Plot Arrangement Collision
In the context of collision that is under discussion in this paper, there is
also another collision committed by Masuri S.N. in his effort to achieve
excellence. Masuri S.N. also created innovations in his work by using
different techniques, namely different typographical techniques in his
poetry work. In this context, Masuri S.N has broken with the traditional plot
arrangement by using typography techniques which refer to techniques
of text arrangement used in order to form something interesting to be
read, and coherent and exciting to attract more readers. Typography
produced by Masuri S.N. in his works is different from conventional
works which are bound by the side or middle arrangement. When so,
Mahsuri S.N. has combined both the arrangements as well as producing
a unique and different form from his other work. An example can be
seen in the poem Tekadku (Masuri S.N., 1992:61).
Left with patience
Helping my journey to the end
Heading towards' don't know how many sides that' will finish
It is not even my right
To speak of clasping hands
Throwing the future away
Without worries full of challenge
Plot arrangement that can be seen in the poem, particularly in the
last stanza, clearly evidences a collision towards the form contained in
normal poems besides producing a text that looks more interesting and
unique. However, the collision does not continue to his final works.
Strengthening Principle
As a modern poet, Masuri S.N. certainly tries to strengthen his poetiC
skills while approaching perfection and excellence in his working process.
This matter was admitted by him himself as he felt his early work should
not be considered good work. In this regard, he asserted the importance
of time travel, efforts to keep on reading, efforts to keep on learning,
and efforts to appreciate writing genres used (Masuri S.N., 2005:213).
From this, it is clear that Masuri made an efforts to continuously improve
and upgrade his work. Certainly, this is a key example showing his
efforts to further strengthen his self-existence as well as his work in the
development of time. Mana Sikana (2007:500) explains:
He strives with all his might to improve the text he produces. Strictly,
the strengthening is the maturity, tightening and perfecting efforts in
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MALAY LITERATURE
producing a work. He will not allow himself to continuously be under
a weak text or someone else's shadows of weak text.
Masuri S.N.'s efforts to strengthen his skills can be viewed from
the angle of intellectual and philosophical strengthening based on the
texts he produced as well as the style and incorporation technique of his
poems. Apart from that, while working on an analysis of this element,
there are three things which can be brought to the fore, namely what are
the strengthening efforts taken by the author, what are the techniques
used to implement the said strengthening and what is the effect and
function of that strengthening.
Strengthening Thinking
Philosophy and thought are something basic in the understanding of
a work. In fact, they can be assumed to be the core and content of a
work. In Awan Putih (1958), Masuri showed a tendency to express his
feelings and opinions towards the Japanese. This was readily apparent
in his early works, which include Bunga Sakura, Ros Kupuja, Perajurit
Negara, Majulah Perang, and Membela Nusa. However, it is also clear
that Masuri had a tendency to strengthen his work by "disconnecting"
it from the mind pattern and Malay traditional concept. For example,
in Bisikan Arwah Hang Tuah, Masuri clearly "borrowed" the Malay
warrior's spirit in his poems by saying "Even if I am no longer around,
my spirit will continue" and "From the late strong warrior I We stronghearted follower." It is thus clear that Masuri tried to revive the ancient
heroic traditional culture which he assumed was necessary in Malay
society at the time. Awan Putih marked a strengthening of the link to the
traditional treasure and existing cultural heritage of wisdom and power
in the Malay community. As part of that effort, Masuri S.N. made use of
understanding and appreciation of the classical text to generate strong
thoughts in Bisikan Arwah Hang Tuah.
The pattern did not change in Warna Suasana (1962) which also
urged society to be brave to fight the pain of hardships that hit them
at the time and sought to instil a determination to accept change and
renewal. For example, in Bertemu Muka:
Queue up a hit, nudging-offending
Be first
Reverse - forward march
Wish to meet
Ah - My heart is big
Face-to-face
Looking
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TENGKU INTAN MARLINA & MUHAMMAD JAILANI
With the national leader
Honest successful knight.
Continue living
With your attitude
Like the current
Always choppy.
The call was clearly reflected in the number of works included in his
second collection of poems, Warna Suasana. Among these are Buat
Sementara, Cara Berbakti, Me/angkah Sekarang and many more. As
the world turns and time progresses, Masuri's poems consistently show
a tendency to expect positive change in self-esteem and kindness in
the community which in this case refers exclusively to Malay society.
Masuri consistently expresses this in Bertekad Dari Diri (1995:237):
Determined from within
Arranging style and
Lifting the foot
Expedite actions
Improve situations
Will there be enquiries
What's the fate
We get heated up
Looking around
We are still behind
However, in discussing courage and determination, the voice
continues to change in his last poem collection, Suasana Senja (2003)
which even though it clearly touches on bravery as one of the questions,
also raises the misinterpretation of the meaning of "courage" itself. For
example, in Petua/ang (Adventurer), (Masuri S.N., 2003:154):
I do not know
how I should act
this is how they rotate the hour hand
until dawn
instantly becomes daytime.
Whoever knew
this history is still being repeated;
because they did not know
people believed and were deceived.
Now this
standing upright
they dare
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MALAY LITERATURE
they were formerly adventurers
now declaring themselves fighters
upholding independence
in the middle of destruction
a lost society that has lost its belief.
The value of consistent courage, honesty and truthfulness, clearly
becomes the core of Masuri S.N.'s work. In this way, his work was
further strengthened by the traditional courage that existed in Malay
culture. However, that courage has to be filled with strong guidance and
understanding so that the courage is centered. The courage has to be
based on clear and unchangeable principles. Masuri S.N.'s fighting tone
was then mellowed by his awareness of the loss of humanity brought
about by war. For example, ·In Bunga Pahit (1967), the poem "Katanya"
clearly gives voice to his uneasiness about matters surrounding his
life.
He said that loving is the isolated ones
Lives separated became a sore wound;
The world narrowed by near-miss love.
But don't care about his words, which say:
We lived very sweetly - we cried
Laughter and tears that don't always flow.
Masuri S.N.'s poems were also strengthened by his experience
during the time the poems were produced and were never produced
in a vacuum isolated from their surroundings. The strengthening of text
from experience and direct observation marks all his first collection of
poems. For example, in the poem "Segumpal Hati" (A Lump of Heart),
(Masuri S.N., 2003:158).
This lump of heart
for decades
searching and giving
the meaning of mankind and conscience
never ending
in mingling
mind and thought expansion
people are smarter
deceiving self and the environment.
when the search continues
I seem to have been more side-lined
do not know where - yes
this battle is not over
what is it for a truth
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TENGKU INTAN MARLINA & MUHAMMAD JAILANI
or just playing around
following advice
behind the tricks
which actually have been digested
hopefully later accepted without objection.
While courageous values still influencing the above poem, Masuri's
struggle was as if it had been curbed by conformity to the deformity
of humanitarian values within mankind itself. The values were caused
to collapsed by "tricks / which actually have been digested I hopefully
later accepted without objection".
Masuri strengthens his poems' text with traditional Malay courageous
values and his direct experience from his observation and experience.
Both matters at the same time form the base of his poetiC image and
direct his work towards excellence such that he is now known to the
present day as a humanist and nationalist poet by critics, researchers
and members of the Malay literary intelligensia.
The Strengthening Technique of Poetry Incorporation
The development of Masuri S.N.'s poetic force actually had its external
element influence from his own work, particularly the traditional
storytelling-style element. This matter was consistent with the opinion
of Ali Ahmad (1984:2): "The structure of Malay poems written before the
War has a very close relationship with the structure of popular traditional
Malay poems - pantun and syair. A lot of poems that carry a rhyme
scheme a b a b at the end of the line".
Masuri S.N. was not exempted from the influence of traditional
elements, particularly the style and expression of pantun and syair.
This matter was most obviously reflected in Masuri's early works,
particularly in Awan Putih (1958), Warna Suasana (1962) and Bunga
Pahit (1967). For example in the poem "Semangat Bekerja" (Working
Spirit), in Masuri S.N., 1975:6).
Desir berdesir daun pohonan
Rentak rentika deburan ombak
Berbisik menyeni di kalbu badan
Membisu semangat bangun tersentak.
Cubalah turut langkah kami
Adakah pemah mengeluh rungsing
Walhal bergerak setiap hari
Selagi bumi tetap berpusing.
Tiada perbuatan lebih mulia
Dikenang dijunjung setiap insan
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MALAY LITERATURE
Selain dari bergiat tenaga
Untuk kebahagiaan bangsa dan watan.
Kerana itu aturlah barisan
Tua Muda gagah perwira
Jangan kita darjat susunan
Sama-sama giat bekerja.
[The rustle of the tree leaves
The rhythm of the lapping of waves
Whispering art deep in the heart of the body
Silent spirit suddenly awakened.
Try and follow our footsteps
Did we ever sigh anxiety
Even though we move every day
So long as the earth turns.
There is no act more noble
Being remembered with deep respect by all
Apart from spending energy
For the happiness of the nation and the motherland.
For that put on your best front
Old and young valiant warrior
Don't care about rank and level
ActiVf~ly working together.j
It is observed that the above extract exhibits heavy influence from
the traditional poetic form of the pantun. Each stanza contains between
four to eight lines with up to twelve syllables in each line. Meanwhile,
the rhyming elements of each stanza also match a b a b prints which
are based on the pantun rhyme itself. However, there are also several
of Masuri's poems that follow the a a a a pattern, namely poems
strengthened by the syair form. For example, in "Rayuan Kelana"
(Traveller's Appeal), (Masuri S.N., 1975:5).
Terpandang aku pengemis bangsaku
Tercatuk duduk di kaki lima,
Pilu nian kalbu hatiku
Melihat nasib sesama manusia.
Terasa aku pikulan papa
Terpaut aku melihat mereka,
Tiada teman tiada saudara
Untuk pelindung jiwa dan raga.
Berapa banyak orang nan kasihan
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TENGKU INTAN MARLINA &MUHAMMAD JAILANI
Melihat pengemis menghulur tangan,
Malah banyak yang mentertawakan
Sebagai turut suka menghinakan.
Pad a kaumku orang budiman
Dermakan sedikit kemurahan hatimu,
Pada pengemis terbiar rawan
Agar hidupnya bertentu tuju.
[I saw a beggar of my own people
Squatting on the five foot way,
My heart so sad
Seeing the fate of mankind.
I feel the burden of poverty
It struck me when I saw them,
Without friend without relative
To protect body and soul.
How many people took pity
Looking at the beggar extending his hand,
Many even laughted
As a way of being contemptuous.
To my people the noble race
Donate a little generosity of heart,
To the desolate beggar
For him to have a direction in life.]
Many of Masuri S.N.'s early poems exhibit a tendency to be
strengthened by Malay traditional poetic forms, particularly the pantun
and syair. It is thus clear that even though that he was known as a
modern poet, Masuri was not exempted from tradition and was also
influenced by traditional Malay literary culture.
Personality Principle
The personality principle is the last principle in the Textdealism Theory
referring to the personality characteristics and individuality of an author
in a particular text. In this matter the personality principle is the climax
of the three earlier cited principles and gives emphasis to the four main
matters, namely (1) to see the author's effort to achieve his personality,
(2) to explain his personal characteristics, (3) how the personality
principle was done by the author, and (4) to discuss the placement of
the position of authorship (Mana Sikana, 1998:325).
Mana Sikana (1996: 136) also explains that personality characteristics
145
MALAY LITERATURE
can actually be detected by four main criteria, namely from the angle of
individual style, individual innovation, individual standing, and individual
action.
In this regard, Masuri S.N.'s personality principle can be traced to the
point after the stabilisation of his own personality and text as well as his
stylistic personality and the text produced. In other words, the presence
of Masuri S.N. in a text can be seen in the experience characteristics
and the personality within text and self as well as in the uniqueness of
his writing style which was such as to "Masuri-ise" a particular work.
The Stabilisation of Self Personality and Text
From the time Masuri S.N. entered the world of writing, particularly
the world of poetry creation, he never turned back and continued to
work actively until the end of his life. His consistency in the poetic field
contributed much to his efforts to mature and insert his personal character
into his works to the point that his work undoubtedly appears to be a
work that is truly Masuri S.N. based on his principle and style.
In discussing a framework for the stabilisation of self personality and
text, it is appropriate to observe all phenomena encompassing Masuri
S.N.'s writing itself. Basically, Masuri S.N. started as a poet who leant
towards writing that mixed the struggle of race, society and homeland.
This can clearly be comprehended in the poems Awan Putih and Warna
Suasana. The struggle gave voice to his desire to achieve independence
for his opressed race. However, after independence was gained in 1957,
Masuri S.N. felt an inner urge to continuously contribute to humanity
through his writings. Even though 1957 was a year regarded by the
Malay society as a historic moment and the achievement of escape from
colonisation, Masuri S.N. was pessimistic and continued to question
the independence of the Malay race. This matter was clearly recorded
in "Cerita Sajak" (Poetic Stories), (Masuri S.N., 1995:73).
Startled from a deep slumber in the hall of poetry
Reclining in a cozy chair empties the mind,
The desire that we seek groveling on the ground
Is there a voice that numbs pale faces!
Life if going is just a swirling circle
Finding courage left sprawling here,
Ail this walking calmly beneath the spinning wheel
Is this enough for a big new race?
We were condemned by descent that stretches strains through
decrees
Honeyed sweetness makes the fighting spirit bored.
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TENGKU INTAN MARLlNA& MUHAMMAD JAILANI
In reviewing the characteristics of Masuri S.N. personality in his
poems, we think it is fair to question the mechanisms and methods used
in delivering the message. In this regard, Masuri S.N. clearly gave birth
in his poems to a pessimistic tone which expressed his disappointment
in humanity and his own race. Similarly, the Masuri S.N. also clearly
used this method of exposure to raise awareness among the reading
community. Masuri S.N. reminded the Malays not to be complacent
and to easily forget its roots. Interestingly this negative aura was used
by Masuri to effect social metamorphosis in order to benefit mankind
and the universe.
All the festering sores that Masuri S.N. considered could destroy
mankind and his race were recorded in poetic form being the medium he
used to effect the development of society. That "Masuri" characteristic
was subsequently continued to the end of his life in his poems contained
in Suasana Senja. For example, in the poem "Kalau Waktu Begini" (If
Times Like This), (Masuri S.N., 2003:157).
If time comes like this
what would you ask
waiting for your birthday to come again
to grow between turbulence and tears?
Is it going to happen
one by one your days scattered
thinning faintly
leaving a drop of your blood on a journey.
Your intention the same
sacrificing, thinking
"who is going to surrender
when the force is so valiant
among the weak:
it was you actually excited."
Masuri's background as a teacher also clearly influenced his
personality characteristics in the text he worked on which tend to carry
noble messages by educating readers on matters to be concerned about.
For example in Ini "Nasi yang Kusuap", (This is the Rice I'm Eating):
This is the rice I am eating
It was once my rice of hope,
Often the tree swayed blown by the wind
Humbly bent looking.
So what am I eating it is not come from rice
But sweat, blood within flesh flowing surely,
So what I swallowed is not from the paddy
But from the pulse of the farmers.
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MALAY LITERATURE
Masuri S.N. clearly used paddy and rice as symbols to alert readers
to the nature of complacency and taking for granted what is around us.
He reminds readers that everything that surrounds mankind is borne
of nature itself, effort, and the dreams of another person. In the case
of the above poem, he reminds the reader that the rice that is put into
the mouth of every human being is actually the result of the "pulse of
the farmers."
It can be clearly seen that the personality characteristics of Masuri
S.N. have infused his poems through the didactic and exposure method
to lead readers towards self-awareness. That clearly strengthens the
blending of author and text as a discourse that cannot be separated.
The blend is then treated in a poetic form to produce fresh and layered
meanings.
Stylistic Personality
Masuri S.N. had a gentle personality. However, within the gentleness,
there was also the image of a strict warrior defending and desirous to
develop his people. This combination of gentleness and firmness within
himself on which his poetic concept was based later worked in a poetic
language style. As a poet, Masuri S.N. clearly understood that language
is the main capital for producing all ideas and ideologies. Language that
is beautiful, fresh, poetic, unique and open to different interpretations is
one of Masuri S.N.'s strengths. This is consistent with the idea of Mana
Sikana (1996: 106) when he explains that a good author is able to create
a positive influence in his text following the stability and comprehension
of those elements in depth.
Mana Sikana (1996: 147) further explained that an excellent author
is always aware that a good text has its own personality characteristics
as well as having a structured Tekstualism strategy. In this way, a
good text has an appeal that has subsequently been called delectare
to captivate a reader towards docere.
In this case, in the early stages of Masuri S.N.'s writing, he tended
to use language rhymes in traditional language as a characteristic of
excellence in his work. For example, in the poem "Niatku" (My intention),
(Masuri S.N., 1991:11).
Amboi semarak tanahairku
Indah permai gilang-gemilang
Tanah tempat tumpah darahku
Ke mana pergi tetap terbayang
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TENGKU INTAN MARLINA & MUHAMMAD JAILANI
["Wow the glory of my land
Beautiful peaceful exalted
Land where I spilled my blood
Wherever I go I keep seeing it."]
Every stanza in the poem, except for the final stanza is marked with
a matching final rhyme between the lines of the stanza. In this way, the
poem is built with the rhyme structure a b a b / c c c c / cdc d / e b
e b. In the search for a words with matching rhymes, Masuri S.N. has
identified words that can be grouped in a structured language field. For
example, the poem ends with the selection of a suitable word from one
element to another after suitable emotive effect has been placed on the
word or phrase. For example, in the first stanza, tanahairku (my land),
gilang-gemilang (exalted), darahku (my blood) and tetap terbayang
(keep seeing it) leads readers to appreciate the poem following emotive
effects that show his loyalty to his homeland. That loyalty then could
also be appreciated injiwa (soul), ibunda (mother), dharma and Kesuma
8angsa (Youth of the Nation).
However, interestingly, in the final stages of his career as a poet,
Masuri S.N. began to distance himself from his original writing form
and tended to approach a more contemporary free style, not bound
to traditional forms of poetry. In other words, the rhyme structure that
was clearly a strength of his earlier work was neglected in favour of a
convention that was no longer bound by tradition. However, the nature of
Masuri S.N.'s stylistic personality can also be traced in word selections
which give a certain emotive effect. This matter can be appreciated in
the following (Masuri S.N., 2003:33).
Jika mataku ini menatap alam;
flora dan fauna
lang it, laut, gunung-gemunung
yang mengawan;
maka keindahan ini menyegar
cita dan rasa ~
kerana disentuh warna-warna
yang menawan.
jika telingaku ini mendengar
suara dan suara
mengungkap warna-warna
dan irama,
maka kehidupan ini menjadi
rumah bercahaya
kerana disentuh kelembutan
budi bicara.
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MALAY LITERATURE
If these eyes of mine are gazing at nature;
flora and fauna
the sky, the sea, the mountain ranges
that touch the sky;
this beauty rejuvenates
the ideal and the feel
because touched by colours
that enchant.
if my ears are listening
voice and voice
reveal colours
and melody,
then this life becomes
a bright house
because touched by gentleness
discretion.
As we can observe above, Masuri S.N. has clearly succeeded to
move away from the traditional poetic form. However, his poems are
still marked by words and phrases that can be inserted into the same
emotive field. For example, alam (nature), flora dan fauna (flora and
fauna), langit (sky), laut (sea), gunung-gemunung (mountain ranges)
and mengawan (touches the clouds) play the role of giving a emotive
effect that marks rejuvenating beauty and gentleness.
Masuri's strength in word selection subsequently formed his stylistic
personality. That characteristic at once marked his excellence as a
charismatic poet. However, it has also been observed that Masuri's
style of language while showing his strength as a poet did not escape
his development as a human being. This can be traced in the emotive
transaction itself which was active in the early stages of his work but
changed to be more passive in the final stages of his life.
Summary
Masuri S.N. has proved to the reading public that he was an excellent
poet who deserves to be observed again and the recognition and
respect that has been given to him as a poet. He succeeded in
expressing his experiences from the Japanese Occupation until the
development of Singapore in a meaningful poetic form for mankind
and Malay civilisation, particularly for Malay society in Singapore.
To do this, he used his own unique experience to approach readers
and sow good values among them. His experience as a teacher has
also influenced the style of his poems and his approach to them.
An overview and account of Masuri S.N. in the world of art is
a spiritual picture that cannot be drawn better without intellectual
150
TENGKU INTAN MARLINA &MUHAMMAD JAILANI
discourse or deep discussion. Clearly for him, literature, and poetry
in particular was a tool to humanise mankind and alert mankind
to the loss of human values. His ability to instill all that has been
discussed above has clearly enabled him as a writer and to insert
elements of his personality in his work. In the meantime, that element
can be interpreted as the cUlmination of the three other principles
which enabled Masuri S.N. to make great strides in the literary world
and further strengthens his position as the Father of Modern Malay
poetry.
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