Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Translating a Tamil Poem: tea flower

Tea Flower-A poem by Mounan in Tamil

The chembaruthi plant is over-flowing/Bristling with flowers
Those who walk devouring the captivating flowers
Experience a feeling of   tasting a cup of good tea.

Like the mouth of a child desirous of receiving kiss
The flowers in convex shape during rainy season
Look like the whitened lips of a girl,
They change colour.

At the sunset time,
When they reflect and transmit
The nature’s excessive lust (kama),

In the shrunken part of the flower,
Magaranthangal transform into liquid

-Translated by prof D Sambandhan of Pondicherry central university.
(With due thanks to Aananda vikatan dated  6 August 2015)


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