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Unclaimed Body |
Bashir Athar
Translated from Kashmiri by *-Dr S. K. Raina |
An unclaimed body
Abandoned mercilessly In a bleak alley of This dark-drab city. Battered and shattered Wrapped in utter helplessness Aloof, uncared for Besmeared with blood Eyes open and firm Complaining innocently An unclaimed body abandoned mercilessly. Oh God! could anybody Come forward and help me out? But that was not to be Numbness grew deeper and deadly Akin to the disasters of Hiroshama and Nagasaki. Dogs sat around lethargically Satiated with human flesh and booty With eyes half-closed, heads down Weeping, perhaps, on 'his' Approaching death, mournfully An unclaimed body abandoned mercilessly. Mehndi (Henna) on his hands Had not faded entirely Hair of his beard had not Sprouted completely. Bubbling with youth A blossom of promise soaring high. Sister must have looked around Mother must have waited at the door Old father must have gazed around anxiously An unclaimed body abandoned mercilessly. A few days later Quoted an Urdu Newspaper 'We killed him, he was an informer An adversary of the Movement, a deceiver' A reader reacted instantly: 'Yes, he was a militant Foe of the nation, enemy agent--' Yet another murmured silently: ‘Neither a militant nor an agent A loved/misguided son of the valley A Kashmiri youth Done to death brutally An unclaimed body abandoned mercilessly. |
Translator's note: One of Athar's best poems, 'Unclaimed Body' very passionately underlines the curse of terrorism, its consequences and repercussions. The poem stands out both in form and content and touches the very soul of the reader. The images created by the poet are superb and speak of poet's realistic approach to highlight the fate of the youth in terror-infested valley of Kashmir. |
Raina,Shiben Krishen MA(Hindi&English),PhD;Professor/Writer; |
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