A Slice Of Hindi Poetry

[aristotle]

I picked this poem from among the most revolutionary of Dushyant Kumar's poems.Dushyant Kumar(1933-75) is a renowned Hindi poet known for his non-compliant and unorthodox selection of subject matter. What follows is the poem and my translation. I'm terrible at translations, so, even if you don't enjoy the translation, know that the poem is one of the most poetic and revolutionary works of Hindi poetry.

हो गई है पीर पर्वत-सी पिघलनी चाहिए
इस हिमालय से कोई गंगा निकलनी चाहिए

आज यह दीवार, परदों की तरह हिलने लगी
शर्त थी लेकिन कि ये बुनियाद हिलनी चाहिए

हर सड़क पर, हर गली में, हर नगर, हर गाँव में
हाथ लहराते हुए हर लाश चलनी चाहिए

सिर्फ हंगामा खड़ा करना मेरा मकसद नहीं
मेरी कोशिश है कि ये सूरत बदलनी चाहिए

मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही
हो कहीं भी आग, लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए

Now that the pain
has encompassed the mounts
it should melt
A Ganges should come forth
from this Himalaya

Today this wall
stands fluttering like the curtains
the crux was for
the foundations to shake

In every City, Hamlet,
road, thoroughfare,
the corpses should walk
waving their hands nonchalantly

Just raking up a riot
is not what I mean,
that the establishment changes
is what I wish for

If not in my bosom
atleast in yours
wherever it be
the fire should be ignited.