FURTHER POEMS

(Translations-continued)

(Part III)

Disclamer and Copy Rights:
These translations are done with at most care but still need corrections. The translator tried to get very closer with the translations to the originals and is still trying. Suggestions and corrections are welcome.

About copy Right: These translations and other works/writings in this blogspot is copy righted and prior permission is needed to publish it elsewhere.

Raa Srinivasan
25th April 2010

Room space

I woke up thinking I have escaped

I saw all around. Up there

Sky: all the four sides’ flowery dark

None of the roof, walls.

Paths appeared all the sides.

Thinking this the open space itself, not a room

For some moments my mind surged.

I walked west dashed a wall

I walked south dashed a wall

I walked north dashed a wall

I walked east dashed a wall

I jumped up dashed the roof.

-C. Mani

The cloud that the little bird brings

There

When the cloud

That the little bird brings

Fills me coolly

I

Will cease to be.

You can take my shirt.

You take my slippers.

When the cloud fills

My lung spheres

Limits will cease to be.

And then

If you want to know

Something

About me

Call

That little bird and

Ask.

Everything always

There is no death for me

This I came to know

After I went into the earth.

After going into the earth some distance

The sound of the chisel was heard

My grandpa appeared

An idol he was sculpting was

At the finishing stage.

It was my idol. He had not noticed me.

Further down chisel sound was heard. I went down.

There my great grandpa

Has had completed half of my idol.

Neither had he noticed me.

Still further down hearing the chisel sound, I went down.

My grandpa’s grandpa was choosing the stone

He too had not noticed me at all

Further I went down.

There I was sculpting an idol

It was not known whose idol was that.

After coming out of the earth it was clearly understood

What I was sculpting was my son’s idol.

Promise

You be

At where you were

As you were.

I will come

After all of the water

That goes caressing your legs

Recede.

When is here

Me: Have had roamed all over the jungle

This map is of no use

No way is it known

At what place

On which tree

That the flower would bloom.

Incorporeal voice: There

One day

In that branch of the tree

That is going to sprout from the seed of the fruit

That hangs in the branch of

That tree that is seen over there

That the flower would blossom.

Today

Hold your hands together in this stream

Scoop up and drink a mouthful of water

And leave.

Nonexistent line

In the charred realm where

The nonexistence line goes burning

Those were the days

Gods rejoiced speaking with men

Grandma would say.

The fire would pass over me

And then along with the chars

I too would become god.

The first arrow

I am the first arrow.

Laying

On this mount summit

For many a eons

For the one who has

No enmity over anyone would come

And will shoot me out with his bow.

Wave

Whether the wave

In the water or

In the wind or

In the mind.

It will be known

If it reach the shore

If it reach the shore

The wave would disappear.

Warfare scenery

This is today’s scenery of the warfare that is always there.

In today’s warfare there are no two divisions as their party, and opponent party

Since all of the warriors are wearing armories that cover the body, face, no one’s

Face was visible.

The eyes of the warriors inside the sheen metallic mask’s eyes that are always open remains shut.

Since the eyes are shut without demarcation of night and day the war always takes place.

Since everyone is nonviolent all of the warrior’s swords remain rusted inside the sheaths.

Everyone fights without taking out the swords with the shields itself.

As many a warriors die in the war, new warriors keep on joining the war.

Those warriors who have joined newly do not know the use of the sword that hangs at their hip.

It does pains even if you strike with shield.

But nobody would take out the sword and fight down.

Because this is the war of Dharma. Everyone is nonviolent.

Flowery eyes

Now and than

When my flowery eyes

Drop off on the earth

I could not see you.

Until further

Flowers bloom

Give me

A boon

To see you.

Last sceneries

Huge and heavy

Without waves

Stagnant remains the Sea

The great rivers

That moved weary and slow at last

Merged with it

With a deep sigh.

Everywhere in the earth where there are no trees

On the walls’ men built

Having lost the glow

the swarm of fireflies that dash

In the voice it has got in return

Laments

Not knowing the way.

In the world where all of the wind is gone

Near a great wall

Sitting on the man stretched out

The birds that have no way to fly

In vain flaps the wings.

The last breath

Of the earth that has darkened

Would exit as mans breathe

As a beginning hub of a new time

Would station in empty space.

– Anand

Ocean in this table drawer

Ocean in

This table drawer.

Eagle of the sky

Under The cot.

The tiger roaming

In the bulb wire.

In the glass tumbler

Without flowing

The water

Looking out.

Prison without walls

This room.

– Devathathcan

We come only

To be.

We cease

To be.

– Nakulan

Dangerous Days

About the dangerous days you

Might have known without my telling.

Although why I am telling, is because

Only just to have a comparative look at.

When the monkeys change places

Have you ever noticed?

Would turn and look back once

Having the doubt that

Whether one of the dangerous days

Is stalking them.

In the branch of Mahua tree

The owl immersed in thought

Suddenly flied too

Also fearing the dangerous days only.

Dangerous days are colorless

Tasteless.

Has none of heat, cold.

Those days do not have the reputation either.

Those days could occur in any of the month

In-between.

Dangerous days knows

To declare themselves though.

When Vibishna left the royal court

Along With four of the demons

Ravana saw. The deceitful dim laughter of

Dangerous days.

Until the occurrence of the first day battle

Again and again appeared

The dull laughter of the dangerous days.

While lying down stretching the leg

Kannan of Dwaraka saw that

At the sole of his foot

Dangerous days have been drawing

The deer’s eyes.

Are you asking why

I say days, days in honorific plural.

Only that

Dangerous days

Could be respect enthusiasts.

– Gnanakkoothan