Sunday, July 19, 2009

Devendira Poopathy's Three Poems


The following three poems are translated from DEVENDIRA POOPATHY'S collection of poems titled 'Velichathin Vaasanai' (THE ODOUR OF LIGHT).

THE TORN, FLYING LEAVES OF THE CALENDAR

Some images
keep on moving
without being caught
in the span of the eye
The wait for letters remain
at every dawn
like a poem
unwritten so far
In times when reality is
unconfirmed
thrusting change of season
slough shirts are skinned
Someone keeps gazing
from every bush
drowned in darkness
Day and night go by
without alluring
In the dripping water
dissolves my self
What that visible atop
may remain an unseeable crest
beyond truths
even after climbing up after
much hardship
Concealing the wings of the bird
that taking off its sight
eats on the happenings
life readies itself to fly.

DOGS THAT ESCAPED THE ROPE

Was asleep in the vehicle
hurrying on the road
Buddha in dream
Is time and space in peace
He might have asked
my mind was in the sun
whom does this vehicle abducting
I confirmed myself seeing
the dogs at my feet
Buddha’s face was like
that of Adhi Sankara
Sankara took some cotton
and made them into strings
then the strings into a rope
He tied it around the necks of the dogs
handed the rope to me and disappeared
I woke up with the rope in my hand
with just the rope in my hand
dogs were chasing
a Buddha on the road.

REALITY PRESENTED GUEST

Knock at the door
before I could open the door
you entered yourself
took the seat in the drawing room
and introduced me to me
offered me tea
before I could ask who you were
I didn’t knew your address
nor I knew who you were
wearing the colour of darkness
reflected me in your attitudes
before I could say something out of awe
you asked what I needed
kittens began wandering in the room
when I gave my fingers to them to eat
you were seeping away through the cranny
between the doors
before I could rush to open the door
everything was over
when I woke up
bearing my odours
my drawing room was safe

Translated from the Tamil by Asadha.