OUR CASUARINA TREE Poem by Toru Dutt

LIKE a huge Python, winding round and round
The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars,
Up to its very summit near the stars,
A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live. But gallantly
The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the boughs among,
Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;
And oft at nights the garden overflows
With one sweet song that seems to have no close,
Sung darkling from our tree, while men repose.

Nou pie filao

Kouma’nn serpan zean ki tourn-tourne
Lor tron bos-bos pie plen ar sikatris,
Ki grenpe-monte pou zwenn lesiel tris,
Enn laliann file, anvlop for-sere
Koumadir trangle. Me san kil parad,
Nou pie filao abiy so kadans
Ar zoli fler rouz anpandan lor brans
Kot toutlazourne lavi zame fad;
E souvan aswar enn melodi dous
Anbras nou zarden ar enn zoli kous,
Alim marenwar ar somey kaylous.

When first my casement is wide open thrown
At dawn, my eyes delighted on it rest;
Sometimes, and most in winter,—on its crest
A gray baboon sits statue-like alone
Watching the sunrise; while on lower boughs
His puny offspring leap about and play;
And far and near kokilas hail the day;
And to their pastures wend our sleepy cows;
And in the shadow, on the broad tank cast
By that hoar tree, so beautiful and vast,
The water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed.

Gramaten, kouma mo ouver lafnet,
Mo pie filao dir mwa namaste;
Parfwa net lao, sirtou kan fer fre,
Enn zako size, vadire enn pret
Ki priye Sourrya; lor bann brans anba
So bann ti marmay pe fer zot zako;
Partou tann refren bann sante zwazo;
Laba troupo vas pe al manz kasia;
Dan lonbraz epe, lor basen ranpli,
Koste ar vie pie, bote bien garni,
Nenifar gayar larg so fler beni.

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Jewish Wedding In Bombay by Nissim Ezekiel

Her mother shed a tear or two but wasn’t really
crying. It was the thing to do, so she did it
enjoying every moment. The bride laughed when I
sympathized, and said don’t be silly.

So mama ti larg enn ou de larm, pa kwar li ti pe
Plore. Koutim dir bizen, alors li ti fer seki bizen
Dan lazwa. Doulinn ti riye ler mo ti sey
Konsol li; pa fer kouyon li ti dir mwa.

Her brother had a shoe of mine and made me pay
to get it back. The game delighted all the neighbours’
children, who never stopped staring at me, the reluctant
bridegroom of the day.

So frer ti souk enn mo soulie e ti bizen pey enn fiz
Pou li rande. Bann zanfan vwazen, ki ti pe fixe mwa,
Doula par fors,
Ti gagn li bonn.

There was no dowry because they knew I was ‘modern’
and claimed to be modern too. Her father asked me how
much jewellery I expected him to give away with his daughter.
When I said I did’t know, he laughed it off.

Pa ti ena dahej; zot ti kone mo ‘modern’
E zot’si zot ti modern. So papa ti dimann mwa komie
Bizou li ti bizen done kan li donn so tifi.
Ler mo dir li ‘kajani’, li ti kas enn riye.

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