For a while, I was a poet: Mangalesh Dabral
For a while, I was a poet, breathing new life into old, tattered verses, wondering if anyone still needs poetry.
For a while, I was a poet, breathing new life into old, tattered verses, wondering if anyone still needs poetry. For a while, I was a father seeking simpler words for my children At times, I mirrored my father, sometimes merely a shadow of my ancestors For a while, I toiled as a cautious servant, praying only for a secure livelihood For a while, I protested against injustice, until I mustered the strength to endure it I never thought I would write words that don't carry a piece of my soul, words that belong to tyrants, words dripping like blood For a time, I fell and remained in a pit and it was my very downfall as a human I discovered that I was still alive and breathing, and I realized that I have never been cruel; rather I still harbor loathing for those who fearlessly inflict cruelty on others and it was enough And in the remaining time, I pondered, Humans should at least sleep for six or seven hours Yet when I woke up, it felt as though I was merely reborn into a familiar terrifying world This thought consumed me for a while. - Mangalesh Dabral (Translated from Hindi by Shivam T.)