Hungry Stones - 13 Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

(A poetic translation of a story by Rabindranath Tagore, kśhdhārto pāśhāņa, Hungry Stones, for convenience split in 13 parts) . It is set in blank verse with stanzas that rhymed in between.

XIII

But this very moment coolies screamed, ‘train',
And scampered we, packing up bags and bales,
The long awaited train seemed like a bane,
That could have been a boon, such were these tales,
An English gentleman hailed our hero
From his carriage and we parted to go
Our diverse ways—to our cattle-class seat;
There was no chance to know who that man was,
Nor yet more light on his tale could be lit,
Indeed, never-ending may prove some pause.

Some truths, some lies of life lie ever so,
May be, he took us as credulous fools,
Too anxious, a painful nerve scarce cools,
Some truths and lies born are never to know,
Perchance the man minted fun at our cost,
And damsel in distress lay buried, lost.
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Translations | 13.03.13 |