Grandma

Looking at the sky, those,
who call the tear -PEARL
keep on writing such stuffs,
which they themselves,
don't understand.

If tear were a pearl,
you would also howl in pain, Grandma!
And rather than sipping own tear like this,
you would rest on the terrace...
bigger than the neighbor landlord uncle's
and would drink
a bowl of milk.


It is for sure,
carrying double loads than that of last year
the granddaughters will climb up the hills
in the dawn.
And, there will increase
the numbers of private schools
in the town.

This year also, it is sure
some little guys will enter the city
and once in a year,
in the village, they will reappear.
To their own fellow buddies,
watching like for alliens
they will stare from far
they, the grandsons!


Last year,
don't know which class of union
taking out the wood from your woodshed
had dressed it Daura-suruwal
put on Dhaka-Topi and
took it for the visit of the whole village.
Seeing this, how angry had been
the landlord uncle !
How had they poured
one jar of kerosene
and the fire had broken out
so as the whole village brightened up.
With a hurt heart
you kept on gazing
if only you had that much of kerosene
for how long you would have lit the lamp?
very easily for the months!


There,
observing the village picture
hanged on the Restaurants’ wall,
those....who imagine
the beautiful village life
scold the city to their best.
Also the book published in the city
says this Grandma-
'sow the sweat, holy nectar will grow'
In this life age of three times twenty,
what else you sowed than sweat?
till the life bloomed into white,
pair of charged eyes
of not sure whether,
they will return or not,
that's all
what you've got.


Life,
if had been of two days,
you would have endured hunger
with the smiling face.

Translation : Pratima Pathak