I Shall Write A Verse For You Poem by Ch J Satyananda Kumar

(Mee kOsam nEnu padhyam raastaanu)

Telugu original: ‘Koumudi’
English Translation: Ch J Satyananda Kumar

NElanu cheelchukuni
Aakaasaaniki namaskaaram chEsE mokkala
Meeku namaskaaram chEsE padhyam raastaanu
Podduti poota nunchuni
Gaadhamgaa kougilinchukunE toil suryakiranamlaa
Mimmalni kougalinchukunE padhyam raastaanu
ChaavudEmundi
Batakadam saasvatamaitE kadaa
Kshana kaalam batikinaa sarE
Parimalabharitamgaa batakadam
Chuttoo prapanchaani parimalabharitam chEyadam
Poola vanam vicchukuntunna savvadi lanti
Mee chiru navvivvandi
NavvadamE marachipOtunna
Sagatu manishi inti gummam pai padhyam raastaanu
Padhyaani VoorEginpu teesi
Nadi bazaarlO jenda yegarEstaanu
EvvarO avva chEtulu chaachi
Kongu parachi padhyaani adukkundi
Naaku aakalEsinapudu
Maa avva sadupaara chanubaalu taapinchinattu gaanE
Aa avva padhyaaniki chanubaalu taapindi
NEnu saayudhamainattugaanE naa padhyam saayudhamE
Mee gaayala nundi stavisutnna
Maanaveeya aksharaannivvandi
Raajyam garuku pedavulapai sutaaram gaa sunntam gaa padhyam raastaanu

English Translation:

Like a sprouted plant
That comes out piercing the soil to salute the sky
I shall write a verse in obeisance to you

Like the early sun rays
Which hug the dawn’s dew drops
I shall write a verse to clasp you

What is there in death
As if life is eternal!
Live a fragrant life
Even when to live for a moment
Fill the world around with aroma!

Give your smile
Which is like the blossoming flower garden’s lilting sounds,
On the smirk forgotten common man’s threshold
I shall write a verse

I shall take out a parade of the poem and
Hoist the pennant in open market
Some old woman spread her sari’s hem
Soliciting for a verse, when I was hungry

As my mother breast fed me filling my belly
The old woman too fed the poem her milk
As I hold weaponry, my verse too holds weaponry

Give me the humanist alphabets
Which flux out of your wounds
On the coarse lips of kingdom,
I shall utterly write a delicate poem