I Want To Know Poem by Sutapa Chaudhuri

In this wide world have I
Many, many things to know…
Sitting here, I have to know
What not to lose.
Where is the fringe of the earth
And where does the sun come from?
Why is the
Koel black,
Parrot green,
Herons all white?
For what is the winter cold?
Why does the summer scorch?
What makes the thunder
And lightning
In the rains?
Things like these
Much have I to learn
Much is left still
How can
The yellow banana be ripe?
Why beasts walk
With four feet,
Why wings, birds?
To see this world
Who has given me
Eyes? !

*This poem is a free translation of a famous Gujarati poem ‘Mare Janvu Che'
by the celebrated writer Zinabhai Desai (Snehrashmi) .