Dear friends ... my English translation of Dr MUDNAKUDU CHINNASWAMY's Kannada poem 'KAVITEYENDARE ...' 'ಕವಿತೆಯೆಂದರೆ ...' Dr Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy continues to be a strong Dalit voice in contemporary Kannada literature with his poems, plays, and stories and I am pleased that he has appreciated my effort and has given me permission to share my English translation with all of you here ... and here it is ...
A POEM IS ...
1
A poem is
the anticipated dawn
tomorrow’s anguish
A poem is
the birth wail of the new-born
pleading not to cut the umbilical cord
milk trickling down the corners
of the infant’s lips sucking out the
breasts’ burden, soothing its mother
A poem is
young love-talk
born in the veins, stuck in the throat,
perspiring away
A poem is
bewilderment at dear daughter’s
sudden elopement
A son’s frivolity
oblivious to his father’s misery
A poem is
the last breath of yearning
to close his eyes on his wife’s lap
2
A poem is
anticipation of dawn
tomorrow’s anguish
A poem is
joy of opening gift-wrapped
bundles of dreams
tomorrow
fear of dreams rotting away
due to infesting, breeding worms
A poem is
not yesterday’s not today’s either
but tomorrow’s memory
A poet is likewise
transcends yesterdays and todays
the lord of tomorrow
*****
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