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Gone is Caravan...

Beej K Singh October 19, 2006

Tags: Caravan , Neeraj , dust , dreams

A translation of the poem Karwan Gujar Gaya by Gopal Das Neeraj.

Flowers, they die out - like the dreams do too
Thorny, so they stab - pals they be though true
Memory, is now all - beauty of garden green
Barren, every thing - like that gum tree lean
But I stay and seek - seek I do for sure
Beauty that was spring - however, is no more!

Gone is caravan - seek
my eyes in vain
All I see is dust - dust full cloudy train

Lingers in my eyes - drowsiness of the sleep
Daylight so, so bright - now becomes twilight deep
Long before I took that step - the first one free
Life, it so slipped by - fast, by faltering me
Leaves, they all fell down - burnt the branches dry
Want in me remained - however, time went by
Songs of mine turned tears - all the sonnets dead
Shape of smoke took peers - lamp-like, all now dead
But I stooped and waited - waited at the turn
Age it went downhill - as watched I time my burn

Gone is caravan - seek my eyes in vain
All I see is dust - dust full cloudy train

Such was youth it, flowers - they did in love hush
Such beauty, the mirror - took a look, the blush!
Reached for earth and sky - each, from side its own
Held its throbbing heart - gaze, whichever drawn
Came a day but when - there blew terrible breeze
Buds, they all got looted - all the lanes did freeze
Robbed was I then - beaten, beaten by the time
Sensed bewitching breath - that breath of magic wine

Gone is caravan - seek my eyes in vain
All I see is dust - dust full cloudy train

Hands were made to caress - beauty, of the moon
Lips were made to call on spring - its every tune
Feelings were to comfort - everyone who hurt
And this life was life - to bring the heaven earth
Came it all to naught, turned dusk - that morning bash
Massive wave, it came and - did the castle squash
And I was so afraid - afraid, tear-filled eye
Wrapped in shroud, just watched I - watched the graves nearby

Gone is caravan - seek my eyes in vain
All I see is dust - dust full cloudy train

Brand new ray on way it was - to wedded bliss
All and sundry danced to drum - that tune like kiss
Loud it came, a roar - "here watch, the bride she comes!"
Forward surged they all - so glued was every glance
Then did poison-filled lightning - strike it down
Wiped vermillion clean - torn to shreds was gown
Stranger-like, from house which was - so far from them
Watched I palanquin-carrying - lost-lost men!

Gone is caravan - seek my eyes in vain
All I see is dust - dust full cloudy train

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