THE TREE
¼^isM+¥ yhyk/kj txwM+h English translation by GPBahuguna½
The rivers are not natives anywhere.
There is no harsher and sharper weapon than water,
Yet it survived through terrible flood,
Stood immersed in waters up to armpits.
Snatching away from jaws of past destiny
It is nursing broken arms once again
over this plain ground up to that corner
Where the slope goes down towards left into darkness.
I must rise from my chair to meet this Tree.
It has difficult to match time
Following routine of the people living around
Because time of my movement is already past
and the points of departure are many.
I must not miss to see this tree anyway,
It took roots there where it grew up.
It leaped high and spread its wings there only,
It saw the light there only
And affected the air up to far ends
It never fought against itself.
Returning home from market errands in the evening
With my changed face,
I stop to relax or find my comfort sitting on the
body parts twisted by its ancestors.
Gives feeling of sitting on the skinned body of a man,
Who had died in leaning posture?
Resting elbows on its arms, I feel
whether I was not putting strain on the knees of workman,
So I must rise up .
Brooding over my end near and fighting my humility
I rise to free its arms from my burden .
But the death casts shadow a number of objects
which prompts me to save my woolen coat
My shoulders look awkward without its pads.
It gives shape to the rock heads for growth
It wears its skin as coat.
when I meet it I must not forget to realize
half of my person is hung upon its peg in my living room.
Bet
A piece of leather skin serves link always
Whereas it stands wholly rooted in the very soil.
I must myself familiar with this tree
Besides heating water for cure in my body vessels.
A full time span entered its organism one or other ways
in the form of jungle
When I go to meet this tree I must not forget
This city is due to half contribution by its ancestors.
Without knowing limitations it is trying to cover up whole earth by itself.
Along with its roots some more roots from outside
got it entangled underneath.
I must find out how it is moving with them
How green are its experiences in the universal darkness above surface.
Devouring waste land in darkness
it is defending entire slopes from erosion fighting
seasons,
Facing treatment of neighbors on stems
But breathing kindness under its rough skin
It stands naked to struggle on its will and face war .
Helping to manage body like factory.
It holds its arms erect like gun
It has filed its roots like soldiers
And pitched camp against the mood of earth.
Gaining height by the depth of roots underneath
The leaves are not sermons but its vibrant words
Drawn out from the core of its darkness.
(Their tone and content is not news)
Before going through fatigues of journey,
It will take bath in snow
For it was born by itself as individual,
And not grew up as mere symbol of its kind.
To fight battle it is keeping an eye on weather
Preparing its gorilla world underground
By shaking off leaves of anguish and experience.
There are buds of tender hope in its eyes
Which will rise with all gaiety of childhood
To drink away the light, air and water of sky
in one sip of milk.
It is trying to create surprise within one week
by bringing a riot in life.
A piece of leather skin serves link always
Whereas it stands wholly rooted in the very soil.
I must myself familiar with this tree
Besides heating water for cure in my body vessels.
A full time span entered its organism one or other ways
in the form of jungle
When I go to meet this tree I must not forget
This city is due to half contribution by its ancestors.
Without knowing limitations it is trying to cover up whole earth by itself.
Along with its roots some more roots from outside
got it entangled underneath.
I must find out how it is moving with them
How green are its experiences in the universal darkness above surface.
Devouring waste land in darkness
it is defending entire slopes from erosion fighting
seasons,
Facing treatment of neighbors on stems
But breathing kindness under its rough skin
It stands naked to struggle on its will and face war .
Helping to manage body like factory.
It holds its arms erect like gun
It has filed its roots like soldiers
And pitched camp against the mood of earth.
Gaining height by the depth of roots underneath
The leaves are not sermons but its vibrant words
Drawn out from the core of its darkness.
(Their tone and content is not news)
Before going through fatigues of journey,
It will take bath in snow
For it was born by itself as individual,
And not grew up as mere symbol of its kind.
To fight battle it is keeping an eye on weather
Preparing its gorilla world underground
By shaking off leaves of anguish and experience.
There are buds of tender hope in its eyes
Which will rise with all gaiety of childhood
To drink away the light, air and water of sky
in one sip of milk.
It is trying to create surprise within one week
by bringing a riot in life.
Come! show me a human soul
Who can struggle more than a tree yet keep its head held high
who can spread roots to save earth from degradation?
Translation into English by Govind Prasad Bahuguna
