Poems - Nishy George
Translation _ Dr. K C Muraleedharan 
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1.
Beside the Silver Line
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It was dad
who did the foundation work of the house
built the walls.
Thatched it too.
Eider brothers and sisters
helped him.
Mother 
bore ten children by that time 
and died.
It was dad
who beautified the house every year.

The house woulďve been another
had mum designed it -
I always think so.

Dad made 
the thatched bathroom for his daughters.
He dug a pit-toilet too.
Dumped it with soil once the pit got full.
Dug a new one too.

Dad
made walkways 
through the compound.
We, little children
plied toy carts through.
Dad himself
did make paths to go out
and we went along someways

History is the chronicle of weapons
dad taught us.
We learned that it is
the history of people who were armed.
Story of muscle power.
Crushing with stones
Hammering to appropriate
Annexing with swords
Conquering at gun-point
Axing to take over
Story of weapons.
Story of the armed.
 

We have to leave behind
the mark of our life and passing prominently,
my children - 
Saying this he began driving 
a long iron crossbar into the deeps of earth.
Dad believed
he could topple the earth.

Don't do dad, don't.
The youngest girl then
held his hands,
pleading, all the rivers,
won't they tumble.

Don't do pap, please don't
all these lot of trees,
wouldn't they falter and fall,
the boy child 
implored, holding his hand.

ignoring that,  dad
dug the earth left and right
pressed it even.

Made thoroughfares.
The world changed 
in such ways that
roads are not for people
but people are for roads sake.

Dad thought 
he can topple the world.
Don't do it, dad
said
the youngest daughter in tears.
Please, stop dad
said the young boy all tears.
Shut up! the adult sister and brother
frowned bullying.

Had my mother designed 
it would've been a different world-
I thought then also as I always do.
Those born youngger to me
in their feeble voices
went on pleading him 
to stop.
History is not HIS story but
the story 
of THOSE who RESISTED him -
a banner displaying this
was planted by someone
beside the silver lines
dad was making
in the background score
of the feeble voices of the young ones.
Inspired by the words
I too called out
stop it dad, stop it for once.

2.

Tale of a Monkey
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Beyond the river bank, 
she sat anticipating the juicy heart
with the flavour of figs
The river takes him
into her.

The loneliness swinging on the trees
gazes into the mirroring river
and finds a blooming heart.

Half the way
mid-stream,
the river turns to sea.
the sea, the end of the world.
he sees in love
the shadow of death.

The loneliness swinging from tree to tree
gazes into the mirroring river
doubts whether the heart is
on this or that side of the river
falls into the vortex of uncertainty

the supposed greenness of the other shore
- risky and unfamiliar 
to the familiar
backwoods
he swims back

the one who
returned from love
tend to forget the tree
where he pulled out and kept his heart