Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Asharaju - A Poem


This poem is the translation of a piece from the latest anthology of dear friend and a great poet Asharaju.
Raju is utterly down to the earth and simplicity personifies.
But, his poems are of class that is rare these days!!

My sincere trial of putting his ideas into another language is not with a feeling that I know a lot of English, but to bring them to a few friends who care!



Since one strand of thread gave way
The whole garland fell down
Slipping from the hands
Beauty scattered

From the garland that lost hold
Between flower and flower
The relation dissipated
Even when thought of tying gain
The shape that takes is changed

Like the heads that fell cut off
Scattered flowers
Though side by side
Fragrance is scarce

After the distance
The relation of color gone
Relation of garland gone
With the broken thread
The distance increased
Coming off from the garland
The past became obscured
Even when accosted
Sweetness became bitter

Some because of the whiff of air
Some more due to the floods
Many more crushed under the feet
The shapes changed
Darkness as overcame
The shadows went in tatters

Though some joined being swept
Travelled so far since attached
At the time
The character of sending perfumes would be lacking
Stones fell and mud slipped
Pollen is putrefied

When the thread was there
The garland was full
When the flowers bloomed
The smile filled the face
Once the thread gave way
Neither garland
Nor heart
Festival is gone too
Festoons fell
Bird departed
The rubbish remained in the yard


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