COME, TO LIVE THE LIFE OF THE DISPLACED

A poem by Deepachelvan
Translation of the Tamil poem titled ‘ Nilam Peyarndhalaiya Vandhuvidu’
(Translated into English by latha ramakrishnan)
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The field that could escape
has brought you here.
On the sea-shore where
the bag you have to carry along
lies
the wind gathers.

With no playful kiss,
with no wandering in cycle,
with Life oppressed to the core
by War
You have been taken away
by the battle-field.
The gun forcibly placed
in your hands
is eating your own self.

Elder brother’s tomb alone
remained an asset;
With his dream shattered
his tomb had also broken.
Now, there is no house
for any of us to live on.
Like our dear elder brother
and like his dream
we keep wandering.

Losing everything
and moving from place to place
in these terrorizing nights
You, whom we have been safe-guarding
as our very own treasure
Oh, what to do with the
Fate that forces us
to see You being dragged away.



How would you shoot at
the foe
who keeps displacing us
as ever before?
At a tender age
when you can’t realize anything,
can’t understand things
War is entrusted in your hands.
The gun forced into your hands
keeps burning the soft heart.
The piece of land that still remains
surrenders to the enemy.

Such a Poem as this
Such a fear-instilling night
Why should they have come upon me?
In the end my words
lie there, belied.
Henceforth, will I write a
War-Poem where children
fight as warriors?

To be in the midst of
Shells, shivering, together
I need you.
Who has dragged you away?
They resembled my beloved elder brother.
He had deep love for you
The way he loved his Native Land.

Hidden in the machine-guns, Our Children -
So my mother observes.

Now, our City is no more
Nor, our Life.
And, bereft of everything
We too cease to be.
Yet, I need You
to share the small quantity of food
half-cooked
And the pulses
boiled in water.

Come soon
Let’s move on
All the more displaced.
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