Beautiful Poems by Gautam Rajrishi: My English Translation

 

This poem is written by Col. Gautam Rajrishi (from नीला-नीला, a collection of Ghazals).

Isn't it beautiful? He writes soulful poems and lovely stories.

I translated two of his beautiful poems (with his permission, of course, for which I am very thankful) into English. 

I'm elated to share it on my blog.

So, here's my English translation:

The doors were closed, 

but I found a window, ajar.

It was after ages that

I, finally, had a glimpse of her.

They scratched her touch off my body,

but, I felt a gentle graze 

lying stunned

at the pit of my soul.

My English translation:

When the breeze narrates someone's story,

it narrates through the voices of new seasons.

The saga of bodies is indeed earthly,

but the tale of a soul is other-worldly.

'Come, let me make you a little sweeter,' says the stream to the ocean.

The blazing night-blooming jasmine has whispered,

the sleeplessness has pierced the dreams, yet again.

'Hey! I gifted you a few silver curls,' the fading youth says.

The ageing seems to be reversed,

your saffron shirt indicates.

Let's talk about something fresh, 

let's break into a new song,

every ticking moment of an old clock chimes.

Gautam Rajrishi comes along with his bag full of fresh metaphors and gives a drool-worthy makeover to the world of Hindi and Hindustani poetry. A serving Colonel of the Indian Army, he breaks all the clichés and takes the world to storm with his distinguished Ghazals as well as remarkably penned down stories.

Check out his books:

हरी मुस्कुराहटों वाला कोलाज (कहानी संग्रह)

पाल ले इक रोग नादां (गज़ल संग्रह)

My Hindi translation of Khalil Gibran's poem.