THE MERE FLASHES
B. Indira
Kumari
(Free Translation of Devulapalli
Krishna Sastry’s Poem – ‘Chukkalu’)
So lovely
were the flowers indeed
But them I,
with disdain ever treated,
For the mere
reason that they were to me nearer
And that, my call to disobey they never could dare.
But lured by
the far off stars so bright
All my
precious time did I spend waste.
Though not
unaware was I that at them to get
Was only a
foolishman’s useless attempt.
Ah!
Disappeared the stars in the sky so soon
And became grey the sweet blossoms amine,
And what yet
remained in my life so vain?
O! Nothing
but the desires never to meet fruition.
For free
soaring like a flying bird
In the blue
expanse, I always longed,
But so much
did I afterwards lament
For, of the
fact “I am unwinged” was I ignorant
Oh! So soon
became ripe in age, my life useless
Ere it had
enjoyed a bit, its own sweetness
But just like an unflowering creeper does ever
It fell down
to the ground all-unaware
Why intense
longing for the flashing things
And desiring
the things never to bear fruits?
Alas! Useless
proves like mine every one’s life indeed
If spent
neglecting that within one’s reach to be enjoyed.