Buddha on the Highway
YesterdayI saw Buddha cross the road.
I had been waiting long on this side
unable to cross in the evening rush
thinking how we wait for a year
or a year and a half in order to cross the road
in a life fifty, sixty or seventy years long.
He crossed the road, slow, fearless.
As I began to follow him
a vehicle rushed forward screaming at me.
No vehicle slowed down for him;
he just walked along
a wild, wide, desolate path
which was always there
and reached the other side.
Kalpatta Narayanan
Translated from Malayalam by K Satchidanandan
An Búda ar an Mórbhealach
Chonac an Búda ag trasnú an bhóthair
inné.
Bhíos ag feitheamh ar feadh i bhfad ar an dtaobh seo
gan ar mo chumas dul anonn trí bhrúthrácht an tráthnóna
is mé ag smaoineamh go bhfanaimid bliain
nó bliain go leitjh ag iarraidh an bóthar a thrasnú
sa leathchéad, trí scór nó seachtó bliain dúinn abhus.
Trasna an bhóthair leis go mall gan eagla.
Nuair a thosnaíos-sa á leanúint
tháinig feithicil chun cinn is í ag scréachaíl orm .
Níor mhoilligh feithicil ar bith dósan;
ar aghaidh leis go réidh
ar chonair fhiáin leathan sceirdiúil
a bhí riamh ann
gur bhain an taobh eile amach.