She Poem by Ch J Satyananda Kumar

Telugu original: Dr Bezwada Gopala Reddy
English Translation: Ch J Satyananda Kumar

(1)
Aame kESa baMdhAlu
Cheekati vaagulu
Kurula vuMgarAlu alalu

Her plaited tresses
Dark streams
Hair curls, waves

(2)
Sagamu jaarina koMgu
gaalilO yegurutOmdi
manmadhditO rAjIki
yettE tella jendAlA

half fallen sari hem
dangling in air
like the white flag hoisted
for truce with cupid

(3)
hatASayaina nateemaNini
okanAti aMdAla rANini
aMdarikanna minnaga nuMDina abhimAna tAranu
jeevitaMu
yendamAvula maidAnamani
iMdradhanassula AkASamani
sAle purugula sannani gooDani
yennaDu anukoni vuMDa lEdu
Ame

I was a distraught actress
Yester years’ beauty queen
An adored star greater than all.
Life
A plane of mirages
The firmament of rainbows
A thin web of spiders
She never might have pondered

(From the poet’s Telugu book ‘Sahitya Sundari’ published by Andhra Saraswatha Parishat, Hyderabad in 1980)