Aa kshan
Phool par jhaklna bindu jevi
aa kshan.
Ateet ne ahin avavaanun
koi nathi kaaran.
Bhavishya pan ahin nahin kari shake
koi pan akraman.
Keval aa kshan
jhakalna bindu par –
janey suryanun kiran.
© Suresh Dalal. (From his book 'Maun-no Chehro').
Translation (word to word):
This moment.
Like a dew drop on a flower petal
This moment.
Past has no reason to visit
here
future can not assault
here.
Only this moment.
Like a sunray on
a dew drop.
© Dr. Suresh Dalal (original in Gujarati) from his his book ' Maun-no Chehro' (Face of Silence) published by Image Publications, Ahmedabad, Gujarati, India –January 2005.
Transcreation inspired by the poem above :
This moment
sits atop a dew drop
like a naïve sunray
detached from a hoary past
and future excesses.
Sparklingly free.
© Max Babi
Notes :
Dr. Suresh Dalal is an exalted figure in Gujarati literature today. He is not only highly creative but prolific, with more than 30 collections of verse published from 1966 to 2003. His style is definitely post-modern, showing a mellifluous influence of western writers and poets, with an occasional touch of Urdu, Persian and the Middle Eastern languages. He comes across as a confessional poet of a rare ability, flirting with a Sufi sort of detachment, for life is larger than literature according to his own observation.
Gujarati is a very lively language, sometimes earthy perchance abrasive but flexible enough to allow love poetry, soul-stirringly profound and wisdom-filled poetry too.
One sentence should suffice to describe this language : Mahatma Gandhi thought, created in and worked with this language, for it was his mother tongue. Nobody today could be more relevant to this violence-riddled world today than this apostle of peace. Einstein was right when he prophesized ' future generations will refuse to believe such a man ever walked this earth....'
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Comments: 63
Wow.
Thank you so much for sharing this great poet with us. Wonderful!! And your inspired offering is stunning in its simple, profound beauty.
It's really heart-warming to wonderful to see your expressions of appreciation and gratitude here... shall be bringing more fresh voices and new poems soon.
Cheerz!
Interesting, I had never heard of this Transcreation before. The whole of your article is very nice, very well done.
P.S. an extra space to set off the body of each poem might help.
John (Knight), I placed spaces between the poems,
thanks a lot for pointing that out.
Cheerz!
Thanks for introducing us to Dr Suresh Dalal. Obviousy a great poet but we also admire your ability to transcreate.
This is a difficult task and requires you, too, to be a poet.
By the way you know my sort spot for things Gujarati, so give us more. Fred
Considering the multicultural background of your readers, the notes added by you are quite valuable.
Thanks for posting this here because with the speed with which life is passing me by these days, I really needed the reminder.
It's lovely.
good to have the literal translation along with your interpretative riff -- which seems akin to an "improvisation" or "variation on...".
Here's another mini-riff
Past has no reason to visit here
future's a season that isn't here
The poet plays against the classic verse in Sanskrit by Shankaracharya that begins "Like a dewdrop quivering on a lotus leaf" -- emphasizing the tenuousness and helplessness of beings in the transitory conditions of nature. This poet uses the dewdrop image pulling it in a very different direction.
cheers,
d.i.
You are the dew drop on Gather's petal.
Richard, I shall cherish the poetic tribute...
David, I guess you are right -it is a variation, and an improvisation. I compared this to lets say, Miles Davis playing Summertimes vis-a-vis John Coltrane or even Modern Jazz Quartet playing the same tune.
Protecting the original idea and then introducing a variant is also part of 'transcreation' which is an inexact art, and one can surely make up the rules as one goes along.
Would love to see your version, David. Those two lines you suggested are gems.
I am enjoying myself here immensely.
Cheerz!
to live in the moment and not past or future is my motto as well.
love and light to you and thank you for letting me know.
10 stars and more if I could.......
N you, Oh u use your magic wand again and create a truly awe-inspiring transcreation Max.
And that is a pleasant summary biography, of Dr. Suresh Dalal.
I particularly like the phrase hoary past. You have a gift with imagery. I like the miniscule sharp edge.
Life today is artificial and synth
Guard the weary heart
It's a natural, easy art
Build an edifice on a strong plinth!
Cheerz!
Beautifully done, Max. Simply radiant.
I like the way transcreation took place, Max! Thanks for this little one dewdrop with alighting touch!
Thanks a lot. Your comments are special because Gujarati is your language!
For me it is an adopted-mother tongue but you took root and blossomed in it, and are thriving and progressing in it...
I am especially touched to know the transcreation effort, a tender touch and a labour of love, made sense to you.
Only those who have surpassed a level of mastery in Gujarati and English can see what I have attempted.
A huge thanks again, and please keep watching this space. I have lots to offer.
Cheerz!
"dewdrop on a flowerpetal" invites me into a micro-world: I feel safe there, reflected as I gaze then drawn within for the moment. The illumination could be consciousness, or I prefer thinking as God's creative illumination.
Thanks Max
I loved this poem "aa kshan" and now, I will surely try and get hands on a book authored by suresh dalal. I haven't read gujarati literature (I am uncomfortable reading even guj. newspaper) but I will surely read Suresh Dalal.
Can you name the best book by him?