BRINDHA ELANGOVAN

 A POEM BY

BRINDHA ELANGOVAN

Translated into English by Latha Ramakrishnan(*First Draft)

A LOVE STORY

They were lovers

But they had to part ways.

That they should Bid goodbye to each other

As true friends, they decided together.

What to do with the true love

that they nurtured for years

asked she.

Then they buried the love

deep in the soil

In a day or two

It sprouted again.

They threw it into the sea.

A massive wave brought it back to the shore.

They let it be gone with the wind

As the betting pigeon it went round

and returning stood in front.

They tried setting it afire

The resolute Love refused to melt.

Let it float in the sky thought they

and sent it away

Getting inside the cloud and turning into rain

it poured on them.

After that

crossing seven seas and seven mounts

they handed it over to the Immortal Parrot

dwelling in the riverside Banyan tree-hole

“Dear Parrot, Oh, Dear Parrot

We will come and take it back in our next birth

Now, swallow our love

and safeguard it”

Said they and went away.

The substance of the love thus gulped

started seeping gradually

and embracing the soul of the parrot

penetrated inside.

And so _

Its progenies wandering

through eons

were named Love birds.

Even after being confined inside cages

they keep mating and doting

through the ages.