A bird cries a weird cry somewhere
A dog whines and
weeps bursting its throat
A star cut off
from the sky
Sinks down
towards the earth;
From somewhere,
a lizard
Dropped at once
on my head;
I haven’t yet enjoyed
The jasmines and moon-lit night
Still hope has
not yet gone from my life;
Till now life was
spent
In clearing the
ground
Of its thorns
and nettles.
I haven’t yet
paid back
Half the sum of
what
I took from this
world;
I haven’t yet
packed off
For my last final
tour;
Why so early the
guard is waving
The green banner
at me?
Like a withered
leaf
My body quivers
In the hot
whirlwind.
Hope struggles hard
in this last battle
I was steeped in
tears
My head was hard-hit
by troubles
And yet none has
lent a helping hand
Life’s boat is
tossed up and down
Amidst the
torrential surging flow;
Still, I seek for a
straw around me
I yearn not for
heaven
With dancing damsels;
I like this earth,
though
It has no tempting
nectar;
No achievements I
added to my credit
I do not cry for
higher things
Stretching too far beyond my reach
I do not like the chilly kiss of icy death
And dreadful, graveyard silence.
***********---------- ***********
Telugu Original: A. Surya Prakash
Translated by:
Somaseshu Gutala 8th December 2024
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