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Writer's picturePoetryzine

Guna Moran:“Insight” and other poems

Poetryzine magazine presents the selected poems by the Indian (Assamese) poet Guna Moran



Insight


For some reason

you are upset with me

for a couple of days

Although I don’t know the reason

I guess it right

You haven’t spelled it out

I too haven’t asked you

We have taken opposite positions

Silence is chatting between us

Maybe the conversation is called

the battle of nerves

Bloodless

without arms

this is the most difficult battle

On earth, it is the best person

who wins this battle again and again

It is the one who ends this silent battle

is ever defeated

You want to be the winner

Me too don’t want to be the loser

So the distance between us is widening

* * * * * *

(Original Assamese poem titled “Antardarshan”)




First Lesson


Sitting hunched at the hearth

of useful knowledge

she toasted her ashen eyes

through the gaps of her fingers

and very often said

You are my unique achievements

of my sacrifice

for long ten months and ten days

By birth you’ve got a beautiful earth

besides the vast sky

So you must be generous like the sun

and tolerant like the earth

At my birth I cried

Maybe I got the pains of my mother

Since then I have had tears in my eyes

in happiness and sorrow of people

One can’t help crying

whose only companion at birth was tears

That honeyed word ‘Maa’

was my first honeyed word

Since then I’ve blurted out ‘Maa’

unawares

whenever I sit down or stand up

My birth is my mother’s sacrifice

I must be made for sacrifice

An ingrate I can’t be

My happiness lies in my mother’s happiness

My sorrow lies in my mother’s sorrow

Never can I be happy

He is the lone custodian of happiness

whose main assets are

the sun and the earth

* * * * * *

(Original Assamese poem titled “Adipath”)




Affection for You


It was gleaming

with the gaze

Affection is dumb

Affection is deaf

Like a speaker it did not speak about

the matter

like a listener it did not listen to

Till the moment of parting

it kept waiting in the eyes

In the thick green

of the desolate woods

A tune is ringing faintly

Gazing at the eyes

I want to see

Is it still alive

Oh dear

No way, no way

Cleaving the heart

comes out

a curious sigh

In the teary gaze

is it still alive

* * * * * *

(Original Assamese poem titled “Anurag tomar babe”)




Chitralekha


Having painted on both eyes

suddenly vanished

Chitralekha the enchantress

She planted

in heart

the garden of Babylon

It is swaying

in heart

heavenly flowers are blooming

Everyday we hear

melodious calls of painted birds

You are the gardener

of the hanging garden

I know you won’t come back again

Yet amidst the clouds

will be shining

the radiant smile of the sun

* * * * * *

(Original Assamese poem titled “Chitralekha”)


Note: Chitralekha was the boon companion of Usha, the daughter of the King Baan of the Sonitpur kingdom in Assam (India) of the Mahabharata era. Chitralekha had magical skills at painting and portraiture in particular.




Mayodia


O Mayodia heaven of bliss

Standing on the high snowy peak

I’ll stretch out my hands towards

the white clouds of the sky and whoop

Oh Firmament

Let me blend into your horizon

Making lunar balls I will cuddle them close

Carefree I’ll dance thrilled by the feel of snow

In the grand court of whiteness sorrow will sit by

Deep in my heart love will ripen

Taking a dip in the icy stream on impulse

I’ll drink in the beauty of the Mayodia sky

With the sun moon and stars I will play

The smiling stars will take me around

The moon will flirt with me in her lap

The sun will keep the day mild with warm kisses

* * * * *


Note: Mayodia, which means, Shrine of Mother Goddess, is known for its scenic beauty. It is located in Arunachal Pradesh, with an elevation of 2,655 m, above sea level




A dozen of years


Time came

time went by

I couldn’t keep time

tied up

I bumped into my old buddy

I got in my way the marine gem

In our chat I found him

no longer the same guy

It made me sad

Against the stream

we pushed out the canoe

each taking a bagful of our past

I felt a sharp prick of

an unknown sorrow

I was at a loss

He who was to go left

with a heavy heart

I too didn’t wait

The house stayed unbuilt

the shirt unused

Teeth came off

Oh dear

A dozen of years has rolled by

* * * * *


Translated to English by Nirendra Nath Thakuria





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