The New Year Poem by Ravikumar C.P.

Original Kannada Poem by Pratibha Nandakumar
Translated by C.P. Ravikumar


My four year old daughter
Was bubbling with excientment since morning
About the New Year.

How does the New Year look like, Mommy?
Have you seen it, Mommy?
Does it scare children, Mommy?
Should I hide, Mommy?


It will come at twelve in the night
Make no noise when it comes, all right?
Now be a good girl and drink up your milk.

After a hectic day, we finally settled
In front of the TV,
Yawning, half-asleep, peering at the screen,
Waiting for the New Year eagerly.

The little girl fell asleep.

After umpteen programs
Midnight arrived finally
Amidst the bursting of crackers
And our screams.

The girl woke up and babbled -
What happened Mommy?

It is twelve now, see,
The old year has gone away
And the new year has stepped in.

She looked at the TV screen
Where a giant clock ticked.

Does the new year mean a clock?
I have seen a clock before, Mommy.
Baffled, she went back to sleep.

The following day
I heard her telling her grandpa.
Grandpa, new year is simply
The moving of the hands of the clock
That's all.

He smiled his toothless smile.
Yes, darling, that's all.