WHEN WILL WOUNDS HEAL, ALL-AROUND: RAJASTHANI POEM : RAJENDRA P JOSHI : ENGLISH VERSION BY RAJNI CHHABRA

WHEN WILL WOUNDS HEAL?

 In the month of June

Dark shadow of contractor

Imparted feeling of months of rain

Sips mineral water 

Sitting in courtyard

Still his thirst

Is not quenched.

It occurs to me 

That it is not water

It is blood of seven years old Sattu.

Sips blood smilingly

But now, no blood is left

In body of Sattu

Contractor has already

Consumed whole of it

Right from dawn till dusk

Continually for forty years.

Since last forty years

Blood of my family is

Running in veins of 

Government and its contractors

This same blood has

Become his strength

The hot blood

That is running 

In their blood.

Government does not

 Peep into wounds of my heart

That have turned fresh again

Have not become old

I can't show

These wounds

Before sunset.

After sunset

Wounds mutually 

Love wounds

They ask one another

What is age of you.

I don't know

When will 

These wounds heal.

 

ALL _AROUND

 Listen

O! My heart 

Pay heed to what I say

Widely stretched heart

Will have to wait patiently

For light that has

Distracted from its path.

Sparrows are losing their chirping

Around the stumps

 Camels are shrieking

Even dogs don't 

Move out for barking

Dunes are motionless

For want of light that has

Distracted from its path

Sangree  on khejree trees

Nimboli of neem

Plums on trees have withered 

 And dried leaves of plum trees 

Have taken remote flight

Waiting for light to come

Smiling human- beings

Eyes losing vision

Unquenched heart

Dried, patchy skin

How they all have gathered

Surrendering their heart

For pleasing light.