War a hearts ravage-2
English Translation: P. Jayalakshmi & Bhargavi Rao
Telugu Original : “Yuddham oka Gunde Kotha” by Seela Subhadra Devi
Humanity and inhumanity
difference is of prefix alone,
endless in practice, though.
Blotting out filiations and affiliations
appearing to uphold cultural summits,
ridiculed social life,
ignored the vegetation on ground.
Scissoring thoughts, overzealous, midway
gave up reason in frenzy,
trampled humanity in man fully,
then
in abode of world peace
wearing monster’s mask, danced
a heroic dance of destruction!
Taking off for a spin in the sky
desiring to be every heart’s visitant
shell shocked pigeons flying high,
while yet declaring, peace has no death
fall dead as gory flowers
amidst rangoli spread portals of nations.
War seedling secured its first feed
when kinships were subdued
and equations kindred, traded.
Soil, air and water
foster verdant green doubtless,
yet none, owner.
War leafed out first
when man quenched his thirst
from Corporate merchant’s hand.
World’s countries mindless
continue to cross bounds
as boundaries unbound,
trench earth
sow seeds to root war shoots.
It is that which now—
outgrowing man
as a branched tree canopied
in war frenzy shaking,
in haste incomprehensible,
a blade of grass even, raising its head
is struck down as threatening its shadow.
That very moment—
peace pigeon’s wings went limp
with fiendish shadow colliding.
On ashes of burnt out dreams
hearts’ flowers pay homage
to see morrow-light’s ray,
but lost is heart bewildered
beneath collapsed structures somewhere.
Violent forces like invisible worms
belch diseases putrefied flesh feeding.
In centrally cooled rooms too
lungs fight hard to breathe,
red desert dreams swoon, sweating.
On goddess-like statue of Liberty
seeing ants cream-carrying,
famed serpent leadership even,
in coiled fear trembles, and
X ray eyes open on all.
As future shows itself on screen
open out lines of anger red.
Just then a dew drop settles
streaked coral in unguent blood,
an owl sits as perched-death
upon spreading action.
Grain-seeking immigrant birds
seeing branches breaking,
look around for support fear-faced.
Touching down on burning ruins
burn their wings, topple over.
Eyes sharp, watchful and vigilant,
fearing they become impaling daggers
flayed and flying,
seeing shade giving trees uprooted,
grow into still tableaus, spellbound.
Torching futures, came rushing
hunting for dollar seeds, ignoring
emptied nest of a mother’s heart
turned into an ocean of tears.
Alas! Look! Bhasmasura’s handprints
in dream path of achievement’s climb!
Now, under cold gaze of death
grope in dark,
fold in broken wings,
quiver and shiver
lose identity in a land strange
peck at grains under death’s cold shadow
like paraiah.
*****
(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.