Damodar
More
Poetry Reading
As I am reading
out a poem
The audience was
listening as I read
And as the
audience was listening to me
I was reading the
faces of the audience.
As I continued to read…
There came a
moment- who knows why-
When a couple of
them wrinkled their noses
And astonished, I
said to the poet in me
‘what’s the reason
for this?’
and he answered
me,
‘it was to be
expected..
all that’s
happened is
the settled sludge
has been stirred
and the water’s
grown cloudy.’
As I was reading out a poem
The audience was
listening as I read
And as the
audience was listening to me
I was reading the
faces of the audience.
As I continued to read…
There came a
moment when
A couple got up
and left
But the eyelids of
the others
Seemed ready to
shed rain
And, distressed, I
said to the poet in me,
‘why is this
happening?’
and he answered
me,
‘it’s only natural
all that’s
happened is
the moisture pent
up till today
is looking to
break out.’
As I was reading out a poem
The audience was
listening as I read
And as the
audience was listening to me
I was reading the
faces of the audience.
As I continued to read…
There came a
moment when
I saw embers
flaring in the pupils of their eyes
And frightened, I
said to the poet in me,
‘what’s this
that’s happening?’
and he answered
me,
‘it was this I was
waiting for
all that’s
happening is
the dynamite
fuses, nearly burnt out,
are trying to
flare up again.’
As I am reading out a poem
The audience was
listening as I read
And as the
audience was listening to me
I was reading the
faces of the audience.
As I continued to read…
There came a
moment when
I saw a dazzling
brilliance in their eyes
And, curious, I
said to the poet in me,
‘why is this
happening?’
and he answered
me,
‘it’s inevitable.
All that’s happening
is
They’re marching
in the battle
On this fearful
darkness.’
As I am reading out a poem
The audience was
listening as I read
And as the
audience was listening to me
I was reading the
faces of the audience.
Translated
by Priya
Adarkar
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