ଓଡ଼ିଆ କବିତା "ତଟିନୀର ଖେଦ" / TRANSLATED POEM "RIVER’S WOES"

 

RIVER’S WOES

Passing through the rough and rugged mountain terrains

Eroding the uneven chest of the forests rolls down the river;

While embarking on a long journey, she murmurs her sweet refrains

To forget the pains she meets, and never to swerve from her path ever.

 

She confronts so many cities and hamlets, jungles dense and green

She rallies with jagged and bumpy fields and plain lands;

Nevertheless, never does she feel exhausted or get frightened even

Whilst she sets out on a long march thru stones and sands.

 

Quoth once the river, “Listen! O  Ocean, deep and great,

The wretchedness of my life, and why I’m so unfortunate:

The cruel human species, no less than a mischievous sprite,

Have plundered my wealth, and spoiled my beauty outright.

 

They have built countless industries on my pristine banks

And insensitively drained into me effluents and sewage tanks

They have exploited me, looted my charms and poisoned my water

And the govt. exchequer emptied on my purifications worsens the matter.

 

Alas! The thorny shrubs, curative herbs and the groves of varied tress

Thrived on my banks where sang birds; jumped monkeys and buzzed bees;

But, gone are dream the days today when human intrusion has finished all

Alas! Now, the Koyels’ sweet music is inaudible, for a heaven has a great fall!”

 

After listening to the allegations raised by the river, the Ocean hugged her

And addressed to her, “Do listen carefully to me, O Mountain’s daughter!

Your have been blessed by the Almighty to be the Mother -Incarnate

In favour of Him, as you are, no one else on Earth is indeed so great!”

 

Man, whose another identity in Kali Yug is ‘Absolute Power’

Has been crushing Nature under his autocratic, brutal feet since long,

But, he won’t be an exception to the prevailing law ‘As you rear

So shall you bear.’ Thus, he has to pay the bills of his actions wrong!

 

You have been singing the victory songs of all the good deeds

You have been saving the billions of lives on earth with your nectar drinks;

I am sure you will forever keep springing, and your bountiful brinks

Will never shrink, for you are the source and your blessing life most needs!

 

  

N. B.: The above poem is the English version of an Odia poem, "TATIEE RA KHEDA" written by Dr. Maheswar Mohanty.

Image Courtesy: Google 

Copyright: Dr Shankar D Mishra,  Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India 12.03.2023