From Chundanthuruth to Madrid
I was driving
On an errand
That was not really urgent
In the car, a song
Not actually sweet
Not even beautiful
Was playing in a hum..
Whenever I got bored
Looked at the sky
The sky too looked back
Once I winked at it
Teasingly..
Since the sky could not wink
Closing one eye
It shot a frightening glance
At me; said
" get lost, mind your business! "
I kept driving..
Beyond Kalamasseri
At the container road signal
Stood a man
Signalled to stop
No sooner did I stop
Than he got inside
And sits authoritatively
On the seat to my left
Regarding my song
Neither too sweet
Nor that beautiful
With contempt..
(In looks, a gentle man, infact a rogue
I said in brackets )
Though Idid not like much
I asked him his name
' Life ' he said
Ah!
Since it was my first
Encounter with "Life"
Asked his initials too
Without paying heed
Life played a song
I did not like
Life played another song
I did not like at all
Life played a different song
I did not, did not like
Life played different different songs
I did not like
Life played song
I did not like
Life played song
I did not like
Life played song
I did not like
------------
Malaamparamp, moolampilly
High court junction
Marine drive
On the way to Madrid
Life kept on playing
Different different songs
My "I dont like, I dont like"
Continued
Life again played a song
I did not like it
Again I did not like
Again and again
I did not like
Life
Then
Played a song
I liked it a bit
I liked it a bit more
Bit by bit
I liked that song
Liked the song
Liked the song very much
Liked only that song
That song became mine
That song became me
What to say;
I even danced
To that song
Just then
Just then
Once again
I asked Life
His initials
Laughingly it said
" Life.PK"
(Translated by Vijayalakshmi Murthy)
Translated by Vijayalakshmi Murthy