by
Sandeep Mukerjee
Going
back is not possible
For
where is the past to which to return
Time
demolishes the steps we climb to reach the present.
There
is no going back
only
going forward is possible
forward
and forward
and
the journey is endless!
There
is no goal, no destinations
only
resting places,
where
the tents are dismantled
as
soon as they are pitched
But
why fear this anarchy?
All
systems are false-
life
is anarchic, insecure
He
who seeks security, dies before his death
Why
this hurry to die?
Death
itself will take care of that for us
so
is it not right that we learn to live?
And
the miracle is
that
death does not call
on
the one who learns how to live
Such
is the nature of things.
Ask
for nothing and you will never be frustrated
Anticipate
darkness with light and sorrow with happiness
because
such is the nature of things
Say
to life:What can you do to me? I want nothing
And
say to death:What can you do to me?
I
have all ready died.
Then
you will be truly free
because
unless one is free of life
one
can never be free of death
And
when is free of both
one
knows that life which is eternity itself
Such
is the nature of things.
Dr.
Jayabarathi of Malaysia posted this poem to Tamil.Net
and challenged us to do a Tamil Translation. After
almost 20 years since I had written a poem, one sleepless night,
I was inspired to attempt a translation. Click
here
for that Tamil Translation written under the pseudonym "Namakkal
Kaniporinjan Thamizhvalavan"
The
translation is dedicated to Dr.
Jayabarathi, whose essays have inspired many of us in the Tamil.Net
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