A Juhee Bud

SURYAKANT TRIPATHI NIRALA
Translated from Hindi by I. K. SHARMA
On a plant creeping
In the void ofwoods,
a soft, pure, sublime maiden,
lodged in love-dreams–
a bud of juhee, blessed
couched in the lap of leaves–
listless, with eyes shut.
It was a vernal night
and Wind, called Malayanil,
love-torn, away from his love
was in a land afar.

Absence sent him aching memories ofthe sweet hour,
floated that midnight bathed in moonlight shower,
pined for tremulous, silken limbs ofthe sweet-heart,
and lo!
Wind leaped over
woods deep and hills,
lakes and streams,
groves and tangled bowers,
was where he had love sports
with the bud opened up.

Lying snug in slumber
she, aware of his coming?
Gently kissed the lover her checks,
rocked the creeper’s strand, like a swing,
awake she lay still,
the wrong unmindful,
keeping her eyes
big, curved. slumbrous closed tight– 
she was drunk deep in youth’s wine.
Who could bid her?

The lover cruel
rode rough-shod over,
bullied her trame, frail and fair
in whiffs violent,
and bruised her round, radiant cheeks.
Thrilled, the maiden
sphered her wondering gaze around,
and feeling the lover around her bed
the gentle-faced
smiled, opened up, and spake:
Love! Play amor a-bounds.