~Jiwan Namdung~
Its rainy season
And there is an outbreak of cholera from contaminated water
Cholera procreates cholera which procreates other choleras
The neighborhoods seem like hospital these days
The paths and streets like booby traps
Neighbours have become like pimps
Relatives like spies
If only it were about contaminated water
Then germicides could help, but
The neighborhoods and cities are running on polluted thoughts
To treat cholera choleras interact with themselves
Deliberate among themselves, organize seminars.
Its rainy season
The village neighborhoods are sick with cholera
I am living in the same locality where cholera lives
I too think of cleaning the water-source
But he takes the cess-pool to be spring water
He is used to looking at his face in the muddy water
When comes the rainy season
When winters,
He reaps new harvests of tragedy by sowing cholera
Cholera from contaminated water is for few days
But more dangerous is the cholera of mind/ the cholera of distrust
Cholera of uncertainty.
– Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
(Source : Poet translated from his own poem ‘Haija’ published in Akshar Abhilekh (2010))
