It Happens Again
It was a woman's heart
that was speaking
had been speaking
for ages
It was a woman's heart
that was silent
had been silent
for centuries
And between them was a mountain -
a man or
a rat
that gnawed
even in times of friendship
at the screaming voice
at the silent tongue
from the very first day
The literal translation of this poem was made by Lucy Rosenstein
The final translated version of the poem is by The Poetry Translation Workshop
Notes
This is one of Amrita Bharati's more explicitly feminist poems, yet the delivery retains her characteristically understated tone. Only 'screaming', in the final stanza, and the unsettling image of something gnawing at 'the silent tongue', betrays the fury from which this poem is wrought.
We tried out various titles - 'The Same Thing Again', 'It's Happening Again' - before deciding on the sense of weariness and repetition in 'It Happens Again' (and again).
© Poetry Translation Centre 2004-2013
Nisha Jain says:
its owesome. Poet expresses the truth of life and sensitivity as well. I salute her.
Sanjeev Kumar says:
I like poet.........
I have no words to express my thanks to you....