You Are As You Are Poem by Suman Pokhrel

Standing on some non-life fringe of life
embracing non-existent shape
like winds that stopped blowing,
I would be living in illusions
with fossils of life's zest.

I would regard meanings
given by others so far
as refreshing boon,
I would still be enamoured of rose
or any heartless flower'ssmell
if tender tides of your affection
had not suffused
the pollens of my heart
with loving aroma.
modulations of my song,
images of my poetry,
my life story,
all would be making
a tedious dumb run
with no destination
sans beauty like
sultry gusts of drought
that flow over leafless treetops.

Sunrays would not descend
to lift my spirit
each morning
bringing life.
birds that fly singing for me
would not know
how to sing
filling their throats with love
welling up from heart.

My pleasures would escape
by climbing up empty times
thinking that is life
though not knowing
even half the mystery of love
not knowing
how melodious life is
if you had not demolished
shape of life's rhythm sometimes
by gripping my heart
tender like love
so fragile that
even your softest words
could break it.
if you had not created
the scenography of life
with countless colourful plays
of your wishes
my desires would wither away
by making false explanations
of the beauty of Creation.

If you were not
what you are
shaped by my life's melodies,
one who is standing
before you
overflowing with energy
carrying myriad desires
that would not be me.
-


(Translated from Nepali by Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi)