Eyes keep listening to
the sound of the footsteps of those rain drops
Ears keep seeing the wind shutting the window
Dear restlessness continues to kiss the cheek
Ocean of wet signatures continues to knock at the door
There no one meets any one any longer
Secret torrential rain that leaves nothing for no one
is emitting youthfulness, throwing up desires
Come here, come let’s hold on tight to
loneliness that we can’t let go,
body that can’t come close,
rain that drenches and dries up fire!
Translated from Telugu by M. Sridhar and Alladi
HIS LOVE
When flowing beauty becomes the body
he’ll go on loving us
When strewn four figures become the salary he’ll go on loving us
When as patience personified we kneel down
as Mother Earth is witness
he’ll go on loving us
When the kitchen becomes us
when all household chores become ours
he’ll go on loving us
Understand?
His love is always
Hemingway’s philosophy
Man can be destroyed
but not defeated.
When you question
his hungry looks
When you ask him
to share responsibilities
When you set out to prove that
he is also responsible
for a girl’s birth
Then he’ll say
you defiant bitches
yours is nothing but feminism
Translated from Telugu by M.Sridhar and Alladi Uma.
Translator’s Note
Kalpana Rentala is a poet, columnist and critic and works for Andhra Bhoomi. She has brought out a collection of her poems, entilted “Nenu Kanipinche Padarn.” She is interested in women’s issues and effects of globalisation. “Secret Rain” is a translation of Kalpana Rentala’s “Rahasyavana” from Nenu Kanipinche Padam, 2001, p. 39. “His Love” is translation of Kalpana Rentala’s “Vaadi Prema” from Nenu Kanipinche Padam, 2001, pp. 31-32.
