Distant Shores Poem by Ch J Satyananda Kumar

(Doora Teeralu)
Original Telugu poet: not known
English Translation: Ch J Satyananda Kumar

Kanna dEsAnni vadili, unna desAniki vastE
Unna vAllantA kAni vAllE
Karu unnA kAsu unnA,
Vooru gAni vooru lO sukhaM sunnA
Karu AC, illu AC
Vollu mAtram vEDi vEDi
Vooru goppadi, pEru goppadi
Uniki mAtram uttadi
samvatsarAlu gA sahacharulE
saMbaMdhAlu mAtraM arakoralE
mukhaM chUDa suparichitamE
manishi mAtram aparichituDE
yeduru paDitE hAyi, bhAyi
yeppuDu kalavAli chEyi, chEyi
yeppuDu kAvAli bhAyi, bhAyi
ikkaDa illE baMdhikAnAlu
mUsina vAkiLLu, manasuku saMkELLu
bhAryA bhartalu kUDA, dUrapu baMdhuvulE
yevari lekkalu vAriki yevari tikkalu vAridi
navvu krutrimam naData krutrimam
aMtA asahajatvam, amtA yAmtrikam
rOjamtA kaMpUTartOnE kaburlu
“nuvvu yaMtrAnivE” annaTlu daani visurlu
AtmIyam gA mATlADE vArikOsam
AtraM gA chUDatam
Terachina vAkiLLa kOsam
Aluperagaka vedakaDam
alavATayina ee kaLLu
AlOchistAyi rEyiMbavaLLu
YentagA karasipOdAmannA
parAyi vADananna bhAvana
chuTToo vamdala mamdi vunnA
yevarU lEni omTari tanam
nA dESAnni nAku dUram chEsina
nA roopAyi aviTi tanam




Translation:

When left the mother land and
Migrated to other land
People living there are just unrelated
Whether there is a car or there is cash
In a strange place, comfort is void
Car is air-conditioned, home is air conditioned
But the body is scorching
Great town, great name
But, the existence is futile
Companions since years
But interactions are inadequate
Face is familiar
But the man is unfamiliar
When meets, hello friend
Always to shake hand and hand
But, when will to become bosom friends
Here, dwellings are penitentiaries
Closed doors, shackled hearts
Even, couples are far-away relatives
Their own calculations, their own crazy notions
Smiles are artificial, manners are artificial
Every thing un-natural, every thing perfunctory
Whole day, conversation with computer
‘You too a machine’, it hints
Anxiously waiting for
Affectionate words
Untiring search for
Inviting open doors
These familiarized eyes
Think on day and night
However eager to mingle
The feeling of strangeness
Though crowds are found around
The loneliness of having none as own
The handicap of my rupee
Distanced me from my country!

(Telugu original published in the blog, Telugudanam.co.in)