Bhagiratha’s Bounty and Other poems-25

Bhagiratha’s Bounty and Other poems-25

English Translation: T.S. Chandra Mouli

Telugu Original : Kandukuri Sreeramulu 

25. Wild Dance of Waves

When visiting sea at Kothapatnam
won’t new thought germinate?
No wonder when
Koteswar Rao’s car halts at Kothapatnam
is it a horse to swim in sea ?
Those that land from car compose poetry
but can’t be ace swimmers
to tackle turbulence of waves of sea?
As desires continue to race on waves
sea, the Ongole young bull, bellows
not in unknown place Kailasa,
Lord Siva performs Siva thandava
here itself, on this sea!

How to hold a wave that rolls
sitting in sand relaxed?
Look at them how jovially
bathe in the sea without discarding clothes!
Who sculpted them as statues?
Their beauty should have been on view
as soon as they got down from bus!
They were statues only then—
as long as one watches waves
looks like they are stepping steadily.
Having reached the shore
smoothen sand carrying our signatures
which no mason could accomplish
and vanish in a trice.
As one gazes at a wave
it seems like a damsel performing Bharatha Natyam
letting down dark tresses.
Wonder who granted sea as a boon
its charm lies in its waves.
Its roar scares one
but whoever views it longs to swim within
though he can’t swim in fact!

*****

(To be continued-)