Bhupi Shercah
BIO
Bhupi Sherchan (1937-1990) is one of the most read iconic poets of Nepal, who started the trend of free verses in Nepali literature. He was born in the Mustang district in northern Nepal and studied in Nepal and India. His poetry collection, “Ghumne Mech Mathi Andho Manche” (Blind man on a Revolving Chair) published in 1969 was awarded the Sajha Puraskar in Nepal. He is known as a poet of people who took pride in being a Nepali.
.
Kalpna Singh-Chitnis
BIO
Kalpna Singh-Chitnis is an Indian-American poet, writer, and Editor-in-Chief of Life and Legends. Author of Bare Soul and three collections of poems in Hindi, she received the prestigious Bihar Rajbhasha Award for her first poetry collection, Chand Ka Paivand in 1987, and the title of Bihar Shri in 1988. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award for her contributions to literature and cinema, and the 2017 Naji Naaman Literary Prize for Creativity. Kalpna Singh-Chitnis participated in the “Silk Routes” project of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa from 2014 to 2016 and studied “Buddhism Through Its Scriptures” at HarvardX. She has published her work in notable journals like World Literature Today, California Quarterly, Levure Litteraire, Pirene’s Fountain and others. Her poetry has been translated and published in many languages.
(This poem is translated into English from the original Nepali by Kalpna Singh-Chitnis)
.
“I”
1.
I am a son,
a husband,
and a father.
2.
I am a naming ceremony,
a marriage,
and a funeral.
3.
I am a hotel,
a bottle
and a cup.
4.
I am a laborer,
a product,
and pay.
5.
I am a candidate,
a queue,
and an interview.
6.
I am a bill,
a bureau,
and an empty belly.
7.
I am a show
and an audience;
a cheer,
and a clap.
8.
I’m a song of a leader.
I’m a speech,
and profanity.
9.
I am a procession
and a frenzy,
a slogan
and a flag.
10.
I’m a need
and demand;
a protest,
and a baton.
11.
I’m shoes,
and pants.
I am a shirt
and a coat.
12.
I’m a revolution
and democracy;
an election
and a vote.
Just a vote!
.
म / भूपी शेरचन
१
म एक पुत्र
एक पति
र एक पिता हुँ
२
एक न्वारान
एक विवाह
र एक चिता हुँ
३
म एक होटल
एक बोतल
र एक प्याला हुँ
४
म एक श्रम
एक उत्पादन
र एक ज्याला हुँ
५
म एक इन्टरभ्यु
एक लामो क्यु
र एक क्यान्डिडेट् हुँ
६
म एक खाली बिल
एक खाली विभाग
र एक खाली पेट हुँ
७
म एक सभा
एक श्रोता
एक वाह
र एक ताली हुँ
८
म नेताजीको एक गीत
एक भाषण
र एक गाली हुँ
९
म एक जुलूस
ए उफ्र्याइँ
एक नारा
र एक झण्डा हुँ
१०
म एक आवश्यकता
एक माग
एक विरोध
र एक डण्डा हुँ
११
म केवल एक जुत्ता
एक सुरुवाल
एक कमीज
र एक कोट हुँ
१२
बस म केवल
एक क्रान्ति
एक प्रजातन्त्र
एक चुनाउ
र एक भोट हुँ
केवल एक भोट हुँ।
*****
