Telugu Haiku Poem by Ch J Satyananda Kumar

(I intend to introduce Telugu Haiku to members of PH. In Telugu, Hiaku denotes both Haiku and Senryu. While writing Telugu Haiku, poets attached more importance to the expression of thought than the prescribed technicalities like conforming to kigo and writing the verse in present tense etc. Telugu Haiku is a budding literary form and here I endeavour to translate some of the verses of the active Telugu Haiku writers)

(1)
KonEru KaMta
KaluvalatO mustAbu
PriyudevarO

Pond maid
Adorn lotus flowers
Who is lover?

(2)
Ponchi vuntundi
needallE maraNam
jeevaM venukE

Lurks
Death like shadow
Behind life

(Talathoti Prithvi Raj)


(3)
AaTalO
OdipoyAnu
aA pasivAdi navvu chUdAlani

In game
I accede defeat
To see boy’s smile

(B. Venkata Rao)


(4)
Tallulu mugguru
aMduvallE rAmudu
Eka patnE vratudu

Three mothers
So Rama
Embraced one wife

(5)
ArtisTO
ScientistO taruvAta
Mundu nuvvu manishivi kA

Artist or Scientist later
First you become
Human

(6)
Viswa mAnavuDu
Porugu vaadito
nityaM tagAdA

Universal man
With his neighbour
Always quarrel

(Dr. Kasala Nagabhushanam)


(7)
Kalam kAgitam
Kalala nEstAlu
Ivi kalustE kAvyAlu

Pen and paper
Friends of dreams
When they meet….epics

(8)
Raitu kashTam
monnaTidAka yendiMdi
nEDu munigiMdi

peasant’s toil
till day before dried
today drowned

(Duvva Ratnakar)