War a hearts ravage-7
English Translation: P. Jayalakshmi & Bhargavi Rao
Telugu Original : “Yuddham oka Gunde Kotha” by Seela Subhadra Devi
As we watched
when did it become globe-gobbling python?
Redefine history to know
what is a nation.
Have to–
when another word for nation
ceases to be humans.
Now
religion alone rules the world.
That which underground-concealed
coursed through culture, now
ogre-like, stands tall as tyrant,
war-hood open, ordering man’s life.
Battles aren’t fought today
between two countries.
‘Parda’ draped shelters
are not for protection of women’s honor.
Picture of bombardment, now,
is of entire world, men exist
within womb of anaconda, don’t they?
Everywhere around on earth’s terrain
has begun sport of pulijoodam.
Who the tiger and who the goat?
Now and then
horns forward-thrown goats roar
humbling tiger arrogance.
Are the slain tigers or goats?
Joodam does not stop though.
Mahabharatha, said to have been born here.
Despite its message,
not to be a gambling addict,
listening, allow good to run aground,
lift evil onto heads!
Message of Harishchandra–
stand by truth, all troubles ensue!
Gambling is yet to stop
tigers and goats confront,
challenge each other on hoof-striking field.
Power, strength, arrogance—
twisted together, ride the world.
Men persist, flock of sheep-like
till all pawns arranged are played out.
Joodam will continue and flock’ll
bodily open-eyed, walk into tiger’s mouth.
Into hatred, wrath, spite and malice
grows the tiger,
innocent people, goats.
War games’ moves and counter moves
settle into strategic knots, unresolved.
Rising war flames when sky-touching,
upgrows human heart’s skyscape into
a fear shadow spread over.
Cheering crescent moon too in
blood-streaked blood-thirsty monster’s mouth
becomes picture shaking us in fear.
If success is of strong,
heroic death is of infants,
who yet in sleep
babble delirious in mother’s lap,
their tomorrows lost
to stampeding-stomping metal boots.
Picture not of raving-ranting heroism
drunk in religion’s fervor or
deceitful designs of arrogance.
Even as
sheltered in mountain caves
sheltered as in mother’s embrace
booming bombers pounding,
ripped open too are mother’s heart-depths!
Jasmine fragrance, mother-like ought to envelop.
Instead
startling gelatin sticks
rend the heart to ruins
ravaging the heart further!
Shrinking all the time
revolving around itself
light spraying Milky Way too
in darkness re-shapes, self-divides
into self- advancing orbits.
Battles have been
since man opened his eyes on earth.
Every war fought, continues
reflecting truths in history’s mirror, isn’t it?
Mirrors war’s human fuel sacrifice
for self appeasement or kingdom’s.
Knowing war brings no winnings
as satellites revolving for returns
men circumambulate around the strong, don’t they?
For keeping positions or
kingdom’s acquisition
human sacrifice keeps on.
Yet
Knowing, knowingly how is it then,
men join flock,
as cosmic debris, or
fly around light as moths?
New millennium’s greenness
not yet faded from men’s minds.
Millennium wishes
with newly worn shoots,
already pulped riotous red.
Mother of millennium baby
yet to recover from labor pain.
Death snapping vitals
prick her eye, blur her vision.
Scene of man-made mammoth structures’ collapse
linger still afresh on eye’s iris.
But future-forming sky towering scrapers
when collapsed, fixed in parental hearts
as tableaus on blurred retina.
Drawing breath
as images appear and disappear
inhale, exhale flickering still.
Becoming a life time’s dirge of elegiac song
keep circulating through nerves.
Unthinking, spiteful, vengeful actions
awaking maternal love,
still bathe universe in tearful showers!
Eyes wishing to control speech
will now, a new language, learn.
Guns vomit fire
injuries still fester painful,
vultures spread over horizon
hold show of skills, laying bombs.
Past bearing, grief and helplessness
make Ghandaris of mothers.
Sticking silence to mind layers
tuning fiery turmoil
stifle them within throats.
*****
(To be continued-)
జన్మస్థలం విజయనగరం.రచయిత,కవి, చిత్ర కారుడు ఐనా శీలా వీర్రాజు గారి తో వివాహానంతరం హైదరాబాద్ లో నివాసం.1970 లో కథారచన తో సాహిత్య రంగంలో అడుగు పెట్టి తొమ్మిది కవితా సంపుటాలు, మూడు కథా సంపుటాలు,ఒక నవలిక వెలువరించారు. వంద మంది కవయిత్రుల కవితల సంకలనం ” ముద్ర” కు డా.పి.భార్గవీరావు తో కలిసి సహసంపాదకత్వం వహించారు.ప్రధానోపాధ్యాయినిగా పదవీవిరమణ చేసారు.