Poetry Kalathara Gopan (Translated from the Malayalam original 'Mukhathu Ninnum Vaayichathu' by Jose Varghese) No one would pay any attention to the face of a man who committed suicide. His friends would move away and weep in a corner, unable to muster the courage to even have a look at him. Those who came just to keep up appearances would peep through the busy crowd to see if there's scope for some flesh that excites as his wife wails, unaware that her sari is often in disarray. Someone would inform his father that it's time for the cremation, even as the latter busies himself making a cricket bat from the stem of a coconut frond, or a toy windmill with its leaf, just the way he did it when his son was a small child. His mother, even as she cries loudly, would sense the contentment of breastfeeding him. In the end, some would put together what's seen and heard, and share it, posing as philosophers. His old love would quickly separate his kisses from her husband's and just have a passing glance towards him. But someone might read from his face that last moment when he expressed his lust for life. Then, just like someone with his bladder full would run for a pee, he would feel he couldn't hold suicide within him anymore. ![]() Born in 1972 at Kalathara, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Kalathara Gopan started writing poems in the nineties. He has three poetry collections to his credit - `Athu ningalanu’ (It's You), ` Chirakilolippicha pena’ (The Pen Hidden In Wings,) and 'Parannu ninnu meen pidikkunnava' (Those Ones Catching Fish While Floating In The Air). Some of his poems are already translated to English.
5 Comments
Naveen Halemane
10/23/2016 09:17:06 pm
Nice one Gopan sir. I might translate this poem to Kannada soon...
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Strands
10/23/2016 10:00:26 pm
That's great news Naveen!
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Thanks. Naveen Sir.
10/24/2016 06:23:00 am
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10/27/2016 06:16:15 am
A sensitive observation of a tragic event. Fine expression, with feelings carried right across the chasm of translation.
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Strands
11/20/2016 11:20:44 pm
Thank you Zahid, for the careful reading.
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