THE LEGS LANDING ON THE GROUND

A poem by Deebachelvan
Translation of the Tamil poem titled
MANNIRANGUGIRA KAALGAL.
Translated into English by latha ramakrishnan

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The ball remains
beyond the reach.
With legs not reaching down
but kept up, bundled always,
She keeps walking
through the eyes of others.
“It was when the bunker broke
and the sand came crashing down
my legs turned worse” –says She.

Informing that
when her legs were ripped off
by the explosive
her eyes were bleeding all over,
She keeps the wheel rolling.

My legs seem to be absent.
The legs that yearn to walk
remain hanging suspended
always.
In those nights when She
dreams for the legs
that touch the ground
her heart hangs dangerously
underneath the chair.

Everywhere and at all times
with wheels that revolt against
rolling on,
calling out to someone for
assistance,
She stays on, in some corner of the place
where children play and run.
The eight-year old little girl
slowly moves her wheel-chair
amidst the grown-ups full-fledged
with legs.

Saying that the words of her dear mother
which tell that her legs would grow
are belied always,
she reveals her still bleeding wound.
All huddled and oppressed
remains her World.
Severing her legs
Her walk has been separated from her
_She observes.

Unknown to Her
the Chair keeps rolling,
on the stones,
in the godowns.
Ahead of Her
monstrous legs, taking gigantic strides,
keep wandering everywhere.
She has her legs, folded up,
placed on her lap.

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(* An eight-year old little girl – brought from the Kadhirkaamar Detention Camp in Vavunia on 12.09.2009- is still being retained in Kaithadi Detention Camp. As her legs have been smashed in the shell-attack during the War, unable to walk, She keeps rolling her wheel-chair and so wandering inside the Camp)