International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Page 137

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES
SPRING 2016
Direct speech is used by the characters Maria encounters throughout the poem. Maria
states to the priest,
“I want to confess my sins”

(Ibid.)

Her sin is shocking to the priest. It goes to the core of evil by his Christian standards.
‘”Yes, I have VD”
Hearing this the pastor takes two steps back
His face contracts’

(Ibid. p.53)

Such a sickness speaks of sin. The pastor is aghast at the depths of her immorality and the
poet stresses this through the simple and highly effective underscoring of the passing of
time as he processes this horrifying information:
‘Three soundless seconds
Matahariterusmenyala
(The sun continues to burn)’

(Ibid.)

He cannot conceive that she chose to sin thus,
‘”You were led into sin”’

(Ibid.) and

‘”You were deceived by the devil”’

(Ibid.)

But, no, it was neither of these causes. Instead, it was the scourge of poverty. Maria knows
that her life ‘has been a failure’ and through this simple truth, Rendra is drilling to the heart
of what ails his people - poverty. Maria is the poor of Rendra’s country who have been
offered salvation from a Christian Church which will not help those who are reduced to
immoral acts in order to feed themselves. She represents all for whom political opposition
rebels against the status quo. It is her swan song after all, her last song.
Maria knows that her life is diminishing and she seeks the comfort of the dying that
there will be compassion and forgiveness. However, there is none from this harsh pastor:
‘”you are some sort of wild tigress
Maybe you are mad”’ (Ibid.)
The pastor states that she is in need of psychiatric help, not religious help.
The loving god is not offering her help but accusation:
‘The angel who guards heaven
whose face is arrogant and malicious
and whose sword burns
points accusingly at me’

(Ibid. p.55)
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