A Poem By Deebachelvan in Tamil titled
ARASAN KONDU VANDHA PAZHANGALUKKAAGA
NAAM VAZHANGIYA POOKKALL
Translated into English by Latha Ramakrishnan
ARASAN KONDU VANDHA PAZHANGALUKKAAGA
NAAM VAZHANGIYA POOKKALL
Translated into English by Latha Ramakrishnan
___________________________________
The Emperor has come with fruits.
Yesterday he was throwing
all over the field
the fruits plucked in the War.
I ask even now
to give back those trees which have their rightful place
in our fences
and also the dolls of children.
My dear, affectionate People!
with our napes bleeding
all that this field asks for-
¬it’s you who have created.
Our appeals
and the Emperor’s deceitful promises
are hidden in the poisonous fruits.
Oh, Our Father
who keeps worrying over our days
froze in sorrow,
One day when the children
were hiding in the bushes
getting up in the well of night
carrying a Cross, oh, how
You were beseeching, appealing!
In front of us
it was but the mutilated bodies of children
that were piling up.
When the King ordered that
all the children should be butchered
with immediate effect
and threw into the cellars all the people-
For those hapless children and people
You were doing penance and praying,
pleading with God…
For children who were writhing in
indescribable agony
separated from parents,
staying in rooms brimming with sorrow-
My Father, who gave
Food and Words to them -
Oh, what are you going to tell
your lone child
about the Emperor’s fruits?
To disrobe us and scrutinize
To tear off our attires and make us run in the nude
It was the King
who had issued Ordinance.
And, we have honoured him
with the prestigious ‘Ponnaadai’.
Our compulsions and cursed life
continue to kill one and all.
He who had mutilated our Dreams
Who had snatched away Our Land
Who had plundered our streets and lanes
Who had built monstrous prison
on children
Who had been washing his face in
People’s blood
has come bringing fruit
plucked in the War
in basket woven with
treacherous weapon.
And, we too had eaten them
and thrust them into the hands of
our Children
and gifted him
with fruits drenched in
the deluge of people’s blood.
The Emperor leaves
with his hands full of lovely flowers.
_______________________________
(10.01.2010)
The Emperor has come with fruits.
Yesterday he was throwing
all over the field
the fruits plucked in the War.
I ask even now
to give back those trees which have their rightful place
in our fences
and also the dolls of children.
My dear, affectionate People!
with our napes bleeding
all that this field asks for-
¬it’s you who have created.
Our appeals
and the Emperor’s deceitful promises
are hidden in the poisonous fruits.
Oh, Our Father
who keeps worrying over our days
froze in sorrow,
One day when the children
were hiding in the bushes
getting up in the well of night
carrying a Cross, oh, how
You were beseeching, appealing!
In front of us
it was but the mutilated bodies of children
that were piling up.
When the King ordered that
all the children should be butchered
with immediate effect
and threw into the cellars all the people-
For those hapless children and people
You were doing penance and praying,
pleading with God…
For children who were writhing in
indescribable agony
separated from parents,
staying in rooms brimming with sorrow-
My Father, who gave
Food and Words to them -
Oh, what are you going to tell
your lone child
about the Emperor’s fruits?
To disrobe us and scrutinize
To tear off our attires and make us run in the nude
It was the King
who had issued Ordinance.
And, we have honoured him
with the prestigious ‘Ponnaadai’.
Our compulsions and cursed life
continue to kill one and all.
He who had mutilated our Dreams
Who had snatched away Our Land
Who had plundered our streets and lanes
Who had built monstrous prison
on children
Who had been washing his face in
People’s blood
has come bringing fruit
plucked in the War
in basket woven with
treacherous weapon.
And, we too had eaten them
and thrust them into the hands of
our Children
and gifted him
with fruits drenched in
the deluge of people’s blood.
The Emperor leaves
with his hands full of lovely flowers.
_______________________________
(10.01.2010)
No comments:
Post a Comment