சுப்ரபாரதி மணியன்

Adivasi poems The songs of an aboriginal tribe/ subrabharathimanian Mayaru The songs of an aboriginal tribe The kiluvai fence can be moved by anyone Crushed by anyone So gentle The line of my determination Can never be moved by any hero Does chastity depend on a mere line. ** Kiluvai – a wild bushy tree used for fencing To prevent fire from spreading In the forest There is the fire line. We have drawn our own lines Around us To protect our dignity. for eight children I am the mother I am Bommakka In number eight I am at the head In number eight inside the tail is my husband However lustfully your eyes feed on me Stand far away you supervisor *** Among the wild animals Grazing in our forest is the mouse deer But what kind of deer you are? Your are only commodities Goods to be traded Liquor Greed are you. I am sitting with a few gooseberries Guavas spread on an old tray in front of me That youth runs off teasing me Touching my head The king cobra will rise three feet to the thigh Any snake will sting the foot. I rise like a cobra and thrash my hands. You have escaped A snake does not take revenge Will not forget so easily The Game Hut Princes and Englishmen Used to stay after hunting Stands majestically still. Nobody goes near it Nobody goes as it is feared ghosts haunt it Did they hunt only deer tiger other animals How many tribal women Like Bommakka Numerous - Subrabaratimanian - Translated by Pro Vincent , Madurai