Poetry:
Usha Sherchan
Life in the begging bowl of Death
(1)
Emptiness……….emptiness……ultimate
emptiness
in a gigantic cage
locked vehicles keep rolling
transporting empty passengers
transporting empty breasts
in the silence one hears wails
and sobs
covered volcanoes
in the emptiness, lives and
deaths
become accursed
Lives are making merry
deaths are joking and jesting
from close up all re-examine the
other
carrying pathetic laughter
piercing with frightful cries
From the space between fingers
pitiful life peeks out
death peeks out as well
In a voice that breaks in unison
from the gutter
life also flows
life also flows
voices cry in unison
voices slice time
(perform an operation)
(2)
Don’t get in a frenzy to kill the
foetus
before ray of hope get to shine
don’t get in a rage to set the dam
before tides of emotion get to
flow
Allow life to play without thought
for propriety
shattering the long emptiness
breaking the long silence
allow life to play without thought for propriety
shattering the long emptiness
breaking the long silence
allow life to turn over
allow life to gain new dimensions
To make anticipation rest
the nerves have begun tingling
insensibility has begun to take hold
Play with such forces that all the
strings break
don’t let life get intoxicated
Sing with such power that the
raga breaks
don’t let life become insensible
Don’t let emptiness quash
Don’t let silence prickle
Colour life by playing
the strings of a guitar
Break the emotions by rubbing
the sharp strings of a sitar
(3)
So that all becomes bloody-
Make life awake from the dream
realms
with the piercing of instrument
strings
Come, demolish the emptiness.
Awakening from a dream.
Oh! Who’s trying to break
through again
-these soft waves
Oh! Why are they laughing again
-these frightful deaths
Looks! Those who plot to take life
by tricking it into laughter
Look! Those who plan to take
life
By flirting with life
Look! Those who think of taking
life
by playing with life
There…look
There…look
Death just sauntered by
leaving behind anticipation
Death just turned away
taking with it sweet hope.
Translation: Manjushree Thapa
