Dear friends ... here is my English translation of Kannada poet Renuka Ramanand’s poem ಪೇಪರ್ ಹುಡುಗ PAPER HUDUGA ... I liked this poem the day I read it and had marked it for more readings ... I knew I would want to translate this poem and I tried ... it looks like a simple poem; may even bring a chuckle to one’s face, but behind the seeming light-heartedness of the poem is something about positions remaining the same and one squeezes out small triumphs or moments of happiness ... things are going to remain the same ... ಈ “ಪೇಪರ್ ಹುಡುಗ” ಓದಿದಾಗ ನನಗೆ ಇದ್ದಿಲಂಗಡಿ ಪೆಂಟಯ್ಯನ ನೆನಪಾಯುತು ... this Newspaper Boy reminds me of the coal-seller Pentayya ...
Kannada original: ಪೇಪರ್ ಹುಡುಗ Paper Huduga
Poet: Renuka Ramanand ರೇಣುಕಾ ರಮಾನಂದ
English Translation S. Jayasrinivasa Rao
NEWSPAPER BOY
I need at least thirty minutes
to browse three newspapers
Must tell the boy
Tomorrow onwards one paper
is enough
No time to read
House full of old newspapers
Nowadays, the ‘old-papers, empty-bottles’
buyers too don’t come
Even if they come, I’ve no patience
to gather everything, go to the gate, conduct business
5.45 at dawn
Along with the falling thump,
like cow-dung dump,
of newspapers,
I hear the feeble bell
of the old-aged bicycle
Even without opening the door
I can imagine the back-torn t-shirt
with Big-B’s face
Threadbare bell-bottom pants
used and thrown by someone
of the Dharmendra era
The bell rings once more
The half-open door is spoken to –
Akka ...
I’ve brought weeklies too
Sudha Taranga Karmaveera
Would you like any of these...?
His eyes open at dawn at three
He’s still sleep-drowsy and
along with that,
hope, expectation, and much more ...
There was absolutely no pressure
Yesterday’s decision that came up to
the mouth doesn’t end up as words
‘Hoomh ... give me all three’
At my words – along with me
he was stunned too
He handed them over and
prancing, turned his back
and left
that same open-mouthed t-shirt and
red yellow and green rippled picture of joy
Tomorrow, first day of the month
I’m waiting for the bell
once, again, once again
Akka, along with dailies and weeklies
I’ve brought monthlies too
Kasturi Mayura Tushara
Would you like any of these...?
*****