Night Thoughts - Li Bai
The moon shines so brightly besides my bed. As ground frost I mistook its reflection. To the moon I lifted my eyes ahead. Hopelessly homesick as I bowed my head.
Big Book Of Poetry
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A little earth and a little sky - Gulzar
All the people who love me, without too many preconditions, came online in the last one hour, between the time I wrote "Wait of passing days" and now. They gave me love and they gave me courage. I am now off to sieze the day and work my ass off.
Thank you god for such unexpected blessings. My heart is full of greatfulness.
And for some reason this Gulzar's song(it's in Hindi, am yet to translate it into English) comes to my mind.
thodeesee jameen, thodaa aasamaan tinakon kaa bas yek aashiyaan.
A little of earth and a little of sky for such small things, my only wish.
maangaa hain jo tum se wo jyaadaa to naheen hai dene ko to jaan de de, waadaa to naheen hai koee tere waadon pe jeetaa hain kahaa
What I had asked of you, it wasn't much and to give I could give you, my life but such a promise I never made. Besides who can live on promises alone?
mere ghar ke aangan me, chhotaa saa jhulaa ho saundhee saundhee mittee hogee, lepaa huaa choolhaa ho thodee thodee aag hogee, thodaa saa dhuwaan
In the courtyard of my house, a small swing, , a hearth plastered with moist earth, few smouldering coals, a small fire and some breeze, Only such small things I wish for.
raat kat jaayegee to kaise din bitaayenge baajare ke kheton mein kauae udayenge baajare ke sitton jaise, bete ho jawaan
And when the nights are past, how will I live my days? From the fields of barley, I will drive away the crows and watch my sons come of age, as grain slowly ripens in it's stalks.
Only such small things do I wish for, A little earth and a little sky.
wow! Gulzar saab this is sheer poetry!! 13:30
Translated the song. Enjoy! 17:00
Translations
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Wait of passing days.
I should be working now
and should have been since
seven this morning, but the
day was too bright for eyes
getting accustomed to darkness
and despair and the legs too tired
(from walking, caravans of footsteps
all night on hollow streets) to
stand before the mirror and look
at my face that's molting like
over ripe fruit.
When time passes and sweetness dries up, bitterness drips down from cold blue welts, drop by drop, like rain or tears, infintely slowly than the ticking of clocks.
I was there once, I was there by your side, it was the time of gloaming and we were walking through grass up an embankment. I pointed to the early moon through the wintering trees, you nodded and smiled in resonant understanding.
Now like Li Bai who on seeing the moon and remebered home, memories of you pass through me jerking me erratically in my version of electric shock therapy. I grope through them blinded and shout your name, "Hello Hello, can you hear me?"
Imagine a small fish, blind ofcourse, swimming through an irridiscent reef. I am like that fish and I wonder where did the circling sharks go ingnoring this willing banquet?
And yesterday( was it yesterday? I am losing my sense of time and direction.) when I was studying in a bookstore, Fields of Gold came over the radio. At the lines: "Her body rose when I kissed her mouth", I broke down.
I have lost all sense of shame and cry at all the inappropriate places. Thank heavens! few but walk here so my streaming tears manage to go by unnoticed and kindness is not extended, something if I take I think I will burn like a zepplin.
Except this morning I woke the house up, screaming in my sleep, "Don't go away." It was a passing dream that didn't wait and these are the passing days that wait even though I don't want them to.
Some things are like that.
2002:08:07 11:30 Atlanta Please call me.
My Poems
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