WITH ONE KISS

S.JOSEPH


          1
Since the world is in darkness
Even during the day
Can't see a thing.

For what are these eyes?
Gave the eyes to a fellow
Without eyes.
He embraced me
Shouted
And left
As if in half light.

Bored sitting in the doubled darkness
Went out
While searching in the air
And moving
Hit something and fell
A girl came and
Helped me up.

My hands and nostrils search for her
With a kiss for reply
She became my eye and vision.
          2
I asked her:
Can i give you a kiss?
Since the differences made one suspect
Moved hidden from the crowd.
In their inattention, forgetting, sleep
And lack of sight
Our love.
The clandestine love contends with any theatre
There is not so much poetry in any poem
It is younger than young betel leaves
Harder than a forest rock
Sweeter than sweet toddy
It is an occassion in life
For some in the childhood
To some in youth
For some at middle age
For a few in their old age
They may have to pass through this.

We drank water in a coconut shell
Ate soil
Slept on rocks
And when the rain came with sunshine
We became
Jackal and wife.*

            3

Any love that is not acceptable
To the world gets caught
Get pulled about
Nobody to aid
We came before God
There is no place for us to live on earth.

Crying, we told each other
I cannot save you.

Anyway love gave vision
I don't know the meaning of love
I am neither man nor woman
Maybe it was because of me
That you were hated more
What shall I do?

         4

On the journey back she said
We don't have a life together.

However deeply we love
We may still have to move apart
From now on I am dead for you
Me with borrowed time
I was standing on the street

It was then that you came
The truth that we found
In the prison of time
Is there in this poem.

I have to go


I said:
Will I not turn blind when you go?

She said:
No, your eyesight will not go with me
Since my memory will always be with you
Take away my eye and sight with a kiss when you go.
I will prefer to be blind from now on

That is what is right

In a kiss we become one
Become salt and saliva
Now she is not there: neither am I.



Translation: Benoy.P.J

* A local belief in Kerala - when rain falls while the sun shines, it is then that the jackals marry.