THE BOOK

Nand Chaturvedi.

Just couldn’t read

The way one should

The ‘writing’ in this book.

This book however composed

And in whatever language

Whenever read

A lot would be lost.

It is I, someday

Will read it singing

Or haltingly.

It is I, in insolence

Will change some.

Will laugh

At the way

The words are written

Nevertheless, won’t read

The way one should.

Altered readings

Can’t ruin the book

The essentials

Remain.

Translated by Ashutosh Mohan from theoriginal Hindi poems of the renowned poet Nand Chaturvedi.

Ashutosh Mohan