Five Tamil Dalit Poems N . T. R A J K U M A R Translations from the Tamil By Anushiya Sivanarayanan
W O R L D L I T E R A T U R E T O D A Y
• M AY– A U G U S T 2004
1
For the family
to gain religious merit
in the next life,
they fed the poor full of rice.
Then, when the girl from Kollathi
began to wash the dishes
in the back lot,
she was forced into intercourse.
After feeding on her
the Brahmin promised to come
in his next life, too.
She killed herself and
now comes
as the goddess of Kollangottu,
screaming for human sacrifice.
Lusting after women and gold,
he married the dancer with lies of love
then stoned her to death
amid the thorns
of the cactus fields.
You are my witnesses, she cried
to the cacti as she died.
The dark-blue goddess of the cactus fields
demands blood-filled rice,
transmogrifies into the midnight
goddess Isaki.
2
If anyone not of our own
happens to read this manuscript:
Heads will roll
hearts will beat to death
brains will curdle.
All that one has learned
will be lost.
Now,
I have placed curses
on my own words.
3
Oh, you devil,
I have caught you at last
and nailed you to the neem tree.
But on another night
while I was deep in sleep
you cracked the tree open
and came out
to play the magical witchery:
You licked the live blood
and laughed softly.
I called upon the mantras
in your name, in mine,
in the name of the One
who created both of us
to imprison you
in me.
Today, my love,
you are my angel.
4
Dancing cobra eyes
twist into the body
striking at the corner
of the soul
asleep, sticking one’s tongue out
on those full-moon nights
Drunk with the saliva
sucked from the dripping mouth,
my poisonous poetry
scattered like
fragrant flowers.
Frightened
to smell them alone
you bring to your aid
those soaring birds of prey.
Denying Siva this time,
standing on the power of the
god of anger,I tease the kites.
Ask them, are you well?
You fly away,
disappear in the distance
like a dot.
I cannot touch
the shadow of your wing.
I will be born
again and again.
As a devil,
a ghost,
as Kali,
and Isaki.
As the vengeful furies
I will terrorize you and follow you—
5
She sated my hunger
you satisfied my lust
I’d grown up
like a water buffalo
but I am her babay
I want a child unlike me
the burning fire that you
put out with your body
my dearest wife
Put down your raised fist
I am breathless
Just give me the word
and I will kill my mother
with poisoned rice.
Translations from the Tamil
By Anushiya Sivanarayanan
W O R L D L I T E R A T U R E T O D A Y
• M AY– A U G U S T 2004
1
For the family
to gain religious merit
in the next life,
they fed the poor full of rice.
Then, when the girl from Kollathi
began to wash the dishes
in the back lot,
she was forced into intercourse.
After feeding on her
the Brahmin promised to come
in his next life, too.
She killed herself and
now comes
as the goddess of Kollangottu,
screaming for human sacrifice.
Lusting after women and gold,
he married the dancer with lies of love
then stoned her to death
amid the thorns
of the cactus fields.
You are my witnesses, she cried
to the cacti as she died.
The dark-blue goddess of the cactus fields
demands blood-filled rice,
transmogrifies into the midnight
goddess Isaki.
2
If anyone not of our own
happens to read this manuscript:
Heads will roll
hearts will beat to death
brains will curdle.
All that one has learned
will be lost.
Now,
I have placed curses
on my own words.
3
Oh, you devil,
I have caught you at last
and nailed you to the neem tree.
But on another night
while I was deep in sleep
you cracked the tree open
and came out
to play the magical witchery:
You licked the live blood
and laughed softly.
I called upon the mantras
in your name, in mine,
in the name of the One
who created both of us
to imprison you
in me.
Today, my love,
you are my angel.
4
Dancing cobra eyes
twist into the body
striking at the corner
of the soul
asleep, sticking one’s tongue out
on those full-moon nights
Drunk with the saliva
sucked from the dripping mouth,
my poisonous poetry
scattered like
fragrant flowers.
Frightened
to smell them alone
you bring to your aid
those soaring birds of prey.
Denying Siva this time,
standing on the power of the
god of anger,I tease the kites.
Ask them, are you well?
You fly away,
disappear in the distance
like a dot.
I cannot touch
the shadow of your wing.
I will be born
again and again.
As a devil,
a ghost,
as Kali,
and Isaki.
As the vengeful furies
I will terrorize you and follow you—
5
She sated my hunger
you satisfied my lust
I’d grown up
like a water buffalo
but I am her babay
I want a child unlike me
the burning fire that you
put out with your body
my dearest wife
Put down your raised fist
I am breathless
Just give me the word
and I will kill my mother
with poisoned rice.
By Anushiya Sivanarayanan
