My grandpa would tell me
How his grandfather was injured as a boy
When his older brother crash landed on him
As the hanging root he was swinging on
Gave in and came crashing
With a thud.
Here, my grandfather would try to amplify his ‘thud’
By spreading his arms in an explosive sweep
And I would be startled—each time;
But all his impressive theatrics never stopped me
From visiting my ancient playmate
For I knew he had been my grandpa’s playmate too.
—from The City of Graves (work in progress)
माझे आजोबा मला नेहमी सांगायचे
त्यांच्या आजोबांच्या बालपणीचा एक अपघात
ज्यात सूरपारंब्या खेळताना पारंबी तुटून
त्यांचा मोठा भाऊ येऊन आदळला होता
त्यांच्या मानगुटीवर
धडामदीशी.
हे सांगताना माझे आजोबा स्फोटक हातवारे करून
आपला ‘धडाऽम’ करायचे भला मोठ्ठा
आणि मी भयंकर दचकायचो—प्रत्येक वेळी;
पण त्यांचा तो प्रभावशाली अभिनय मला कधीच थोपवू शकला नाही
माझ्या प्राचीन खेळगड्याला भेटण्यापासून
कारण मला ठाऊक होते तो होता त्यांचादेखील खेळगडी.
—थडग्यांचे शहर ह्या प्रस्तावित काव्यसंग्रहातुन