NATRAH'S MOTHER - AMINAH

The war torn country
Opened up a history for me
With gladness I accepted this desperate request
That vary day Bertha was in my care

From someone I had known
To be a friend and companion
Who was facing serious trouble
In a war torn country

Sincerely I adhered to her wishes
Back to Kemaman with Bertha I went
I then treated her like my own
Embracing Islam as she should

From a merely less than 5 years of age
She was tenderly cared and loved
Affection was showered endlessly
It grew and grew blossomed like flower

She was a good and a beautiful child
She was a faithful child
She obeyed me so well
She was much loved by all

However, beyond our expectations
Things abruptly changed
Someone came and looking
Manipulated facts and promises were made

Believing they were true
I adhered to the words
I was naive
I agreed to the plan

I was promised a letter
The Dutch Consulate was going to issue
For the legal adoption of Natrah
I would just do anything for her

The bloke who gave the promise
Was the bloke that manipulated it all
I and Natrah traveled the seas
To Singapore we sailed with high hopes

The Colonial time was the time
Innocent people were taken for a ride
I was one who fell victim
Losing my self esteem and pride

Once the promise was proven untrue
I was desperately fighting
With guts, pride, spirits and faith
Were my best weapons put in use

Supports received were overwhelming
People tried to save a young Dutch girl
Whose faith in Islam was so strong
Whose love and affection was undying

WE had sleepless nights and restless days
Desperately trying all avenues
To save Natrah's faith and the love so pure
Soon to be torn from this heart mine

Winning the court case was not the end
Natrah's paternal family fought strongly
The second time round we were defeated
Natrah was to return to them, her rightful parents

Heart breaks, aches, despair and helplessness
Tormenting nights and days followed
Battles lost won wider sympathy
Endless empathy set in from people all around

The distinguished politicians
The men in the streets
The whole nation felt
The whole battle was coming to an end

I would have never thought
The desperate lady would turn around
And say "I have never given Natrah to you"
Sadly I also have misplaced the letter she once wrote

Out of ignorance I lost
I had lost everything
I felt my whole life was taken away
My heart died the moment she went

Now I am home alone in Kemaman
Pondering the past wondering the present
How is Natrah getting on over there
With life and religion so very different

I severed my friendship with the Hertoghs
It was so unbecoming of them
No words of appreciations were delivered
No feeling of gratitude ever felt

The pain, anguish, disappointment, emptiness
All set in like the fierce strikes of lightning
My heart went with Natrah, my beloved child
My whole life was suddenly bleak

What do I have now?
I was left with empty arms
My heart was full of pain and hurts
NO! It was more than pain...




Thus their demise ended their despair
BUT something else never ends
History, journals, texts, pictures
Lingers on and on and on
Theater liven the history
Finger tips writing endless stories
Poems and scripts replacing their torments
Heart felt grieves were shared across
They both made a grieving history
Successfully capturing our hearts, mind and soul!