I Do Not Want to Go Away
Even When That is the Place I Belong to
K. Padmakumar *
It appears to be a matter of days
But it is a long time now
Since the day I had come
Stark naked,
Not knowing
If it were to live
Or if it were to die,
Crying long
And crying in absurd baby tongue
Here in this dark place of yours.
It promises to be an exciting visit
But you had abandoned me
Without opening your mouth
Here in this place
A place I had never seen
Not even in my dreams.
From toddling around
In this world with no radiance
I am now quite used to it.
Where shall I go
By leaving this place behind?
I do not want to go away
Even when that is the place I belong to.
I do not know for sure if my parents
Who had gone earlier would be there.
I would like to live sleeping
Among friends
And I would not like to be awakened.
(Translated from his late father's Manipuri poem Ipam Lamdam Oirabasu Ei Chatchaningdre by K. Radhakumar)
* Poem written by K. Radhakumar which was published at Hueiyen Lanpao (English Edition)
This poem was webcasted on May 12, 2014.
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