Night Blooming Flowers

The pigeon on flight
the sun of silver necks
the sun on golden necks

No one suspected
She would be the chosen
of the goddess

No one thought
the streaming moon
would suckle the earth

It was the blind boy
who flew the pigeon
and stuck in its beak a blade of grass
putting his eyes in the light of hers
he was groping for his lost ...
O dear me!

On this stone god
the mother poured a pitcherful of water
Offered betel nut, flowers, sandal paste
the stones emitted vomit, spit and cough
and a host of fleas
You only emit
and leave around shit
O my blind god,
prove it
prove it that the boy too was stone
burnt out coal
that he was a flea.

             [ Translated by Pradip Acharya ]

 
Night Blossoms

Knock, Knock, Knock
knocking at the dead of night
Mother looked at the son, son at the
father.
Father at his darling daughter

Not to worry, he shall return tomorrow.
Just a little matter of questioning
little matter of quesaitoning
Questioning, mother murmered.

What is happening? What?
Mother brought her eyes down,
Father looked at his darling daughter,
Daughter said; there is questioning
Questioning, whispered the people.

Knock, knock, knock
The people gathered around into
crowd,
The people became crowds
And said: There is questioning
Yes, we want to ask questions.

             [ Translated by Gopal Das ]