Sunday, September 22, 2013

translating shiv kumar batalvi: dharmi baabla

a humble attempt at translating a poem by shiv kumar batalvi

virtuous father dear

o virtuous father dear
when the cotton does flower bear
o virtuous father dear
buy me that season of the year
i lost a song in this season of yore
that of longing a garland wore
its face pockmarked with sorrow such
its eyes full of water from a ruined well
a song that when by the lips touched
sends the heart fluttering along
o virtuous father dear
buy me that song
o virtuous father dear

one day me and my song
in this season bewitched beguiling
the heart’s soil we ploughed
and dreams pure we sowed
with a million tears we irrigated it
no flower it bore however
o virtuous father dear
buy me just one flower
o virtuous father dear

what use all your land
if daughters are to wither so
what use your mansarovar
if thirsty the swans go
to what end your scattered crumbs
against pearls weighed
o virtuous father dear
if you can’t buy me that season of the year
o virtuous father dear
when cotton does flower bear
o virtuous father dear


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