The Song Of The Boatwoman From The Lake Dar Poem by Dina Nath Nadim

I
I got these Crisp and fresh from
the Dal
Hay valay, come and buy! hay valay,
come and buy!
These are tiny eggplants, and these
are round gourds.
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!
II
These are peppers, and these are
brinjals.
The brinjals are like pitchers of wine
banging their heads in this boat of
mine,
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!

III
The crisp bundles of radishes
are glittering in the shade
of weeds, the red marsh turnip
is blushing like a blushing beauty,
as it the dawn has blossomed into
flowers.
Hay valay, come and buy!
hay valay, come and buy!

IV
May dust fall on you! Stop it!
You have taken enough now.
I know, dear lady, I cannot blame you,
tor the high prices are crushing us all
now.
Let me go!
Come on, lend me a hand with this
basket, I really must go now.
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!

V
What can I tell you, dear lady.
My child was born only last Thursday,
Though I didn't feel up to it, I dragged
myself out and left my little one behind.
It was paintul to leave him away
from me.
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!

VI
My little one!
My little one is pale like a radish,
My little one is pale like a jasmine,
My little one is naked and nude
shivering and cold like a lump of ice.
My little one is crying and crying, the
tears roll down from his eyes like drops
rolling down from lotus leaves.
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!

VII
My little one's nose is like a lotus seed,
just like his father's nose;
My little one's face is tiny, just like
his mother's face.
To us both he is like a lotus, sprung
from the mud of dalay hay
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!

VIII
Lo! I seem to hear a baby cry;
Lo! I seem to feel a sensation in my
breast.
My heart doesn't seem to be here now.
Dear lady, I must really go now,
Hay valay, come and buy!
Hay valay, come and buy!