Your Book Arrived
for Sabitha Satchi
Your book arrived from New Delhi
I knew at once it was your book
and I smiled at the delivery guy
he was not accustomed to such a smile
and smiled back, abashed
indeed, my smile surprised myself.
I wanted to open the book in his presence
and say, Don't go
you've got to hear this:
'Dear Comrade, the day the poet died
it was raining outside. Black
and brown horses were grazing
on the overgrown meadow
near the flooded river ...'
But, I let him go, Sabitha
he had other packages to deliver
among them - who knows? - perishable goods.
Tháinig do Leabhar
do Sabitha Satchi
Tháinig do leabhar ó Dheilí Nua
Bhí a fhios agam ar an toirt gurbh é do leabharsa é
agus dheineas meangadh gáire leis an bhfear seachadta
ní raibh taithí aige ar mheangadh gáire
is dhein sé meangadh gáire ar ais liom agus cotadh air
go deimhin, chuir mo mheangadh gáire iontas orm féin.
Theastaigh uaim an leabhar a oscailt láithreach
agus a rá leis, Ná himigh
caitfidh tú éisteacht leis seo:
'A Chomrádaí dhil, bhí sé ag cur báistí
an lá a cailleadh an file. Bhí capaill
dhubha is capaill dhonna ar iníor
sa mhóinéar a bhí ina fhásach
gar don abhainn a bhí ina tulca...'
Ach scaoileas leis, a Sabitha
bhí pacáistí eile aige le seachadadh
ina measc - cá bhfios? - earraí a lobhann.