Poems of Aduri Satyavathi Devi

Poem-13

Curses or Gifts

Telugu Original: Aduri Satyavathi Devi

English Translation: CLL Jayaprada

True!

That men seek change

True that flowing stream of time

Courses into million channels

Inviting ever newer shapes

And astonishes us again and again

Also, true

From the earth to the sky

And the sky to the earth

Ties of give and take,

Are not the making of this day

Knowledge grew by leaps

Science branched on and on

Not merely for human life

But to so many creatures

Speeding century

Gave great gifts

A marvel won by man

But

Stalking like shadows the winds of pollution

Poking holes continually in the sky

Chlorofluorocarbons and methylbromides

Tearing the ozone layer

In grotesque figures

To gnaw and swallow the children of all lands

Frightening like the emissaries of Kamsa

About to devour the garlands of water lilies.1

Scorching the resources and topes on the earth

Choking the outer orbits with dust filled smoke

Reducing the security of human life to zero degrees

Shattering is the spread of science.

For whose sweat dreams?

For which splendid childhoods?

In each layer hoarding treasures

Stretching arms with guileless love

Handing over infinite wealth and beauty

Nature

If we become her tormentors

And subject variegated nature to trial

Doesn’t the curse of time destroy us?

Won’t the Kurukshetra be at hand?

What a sorry future!

The shadow of a Cobra

On tiny cradles?

And the cream of poison gas

For tender baby skins?

*****

Telugu Original : ‘Saapaalaa..Bahumaanaalaa’

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