INTO FORTY
English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar
Telugu Original : Dr K.Geeta
Thousands of miles for Forty × times life
We cross Hills and Dales and even Seven Oceans
Hourly work-hourly wage-
Years of immigrant life struggling for existence
Who talks with you?
Who shares with you?
Who comes along with you?
At every moving step the ghost of Forty × Times appears
Every digit turned into rupees shivers you
Showing in magnifying glass
Rent above fifty thousand
Thousand can’t bring 10 kg. rice
Basket full vegetables two thousand
Boarding a bus one hundred
Finger size coriander and curry leaf two hundred
Egg for ten
Bread even not for one fifty
Relishing on ice cream?
Going to a movie?
Nobody knows who lives in side portion-
Language never connects barriers-
How many knots do we stitch with English thread?
Living in wooden nests not knowing whether it’s school or temple-
Every region is alike though you travelled miles and miles
Wife and husband, kith and kin home and family limited to weekend
Friendships, Happiness, Parties and Outings
Hotty breakfasts and Meals all limited to weekend
What happened there at home-
How were those parents-
How long it passed meeting them all-
All now equal to zero standing by four
After all, what are they all before the Forty × Times?!
Though gone one third to tax
Insurance swallowed it’s half share
Left with one fourth at end of the month
It’s privilege to stay at US and as great asset
To become an NRI at every home is target
We swim against all odds
All dreams and distant sacrifices
For those Forty×Times
Yet,
We miss neem flowers in Ugadi chutney
No idol immersion on Vinayaka Chavithi
We need to count stars in the sky on Diwali
All those crackers preserved for some others for JULY 4TH
There’s Chill always to hug you when you lost in thoughts
The air is always with you to solace when you broke down
The massive summits with grass standing around
The foggy mornings surrounded with fluffy clouds
Trees of Redwoods standing upright
Manoeuvre of variant colored flowers
Showering of luxuries by squeezing Malls
Western etiquettes take you anywhere
Every moment it’s a struggle for existence on immigrant land
Who talks with you?
Who shares with you?
Who comes with you?
Who travels along with you until the end?
Who pats your back?
Who loves you deeply?
Who gets you left at the end?
You × Forty Times
Forty Times × You
(Into Forty ( × forty stands out for time sign × multiplication and the value of dollar @ ₹40 at the time of this poem written)
*****
A post graduate in English literature and language and in Economics. A few of my translations were published. I translated the poems of Dr. Andesri , Denchanala, Ayila Saida Chary and Urmila from Telugu to English. I write articles and reviews to magazines and news papers. To the field of poetry I am rather a new face.