Puranaanooru – 83
as I pine for the anklet wearing, dark bearded young man;
I’m shy to embrace his valorous shoulders in public;
May this indecisive town which doesn’t decide
either in favour of mother or myself
but vacillates between us two,
tremble as much as I do.
அடி புனை தொடுகழல், மை அணல் காளைக்கு என்
தொடி கழித்திடுதல் யான் யாய் அஞ்சுவலே;
அடு தோள் முயங்கல் அவை நாணுவலே;
என் போல் பெரு விதுப்புறுக என்றும்
ஒரு பாற் படாஅதாகி,
இரு பாற் பட்ட இம் மையல் ஊரே.
She is pining for him, the dark bearded young man wearing an anklet awarded for bravery. Her arms weaken and her bangles slip out. She is afraid that her mother might notice this and find out about her lover. At the same time she is shy of going public with her love and embracing his shoulders. The townspeople neither understand her fear and shyness and arrange for her marraige to her lover nor understand her mother’s reluctance and put a stop to the affair. They are indecisive and prolonging her agony. So she curses the town to tremble as much as she is trembling now.
The original poem says “the indecisive town which doesn’t decide for one side but vacillates”. I have expanded it as “in favor of mother or myself” to make it easier to comprehend.
Old Tamil Poetry 
So beautiful!
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True. Sangam poetry is a rigorously selected anthology (by unknown poets thousands of years ago) so all the poems are top notch.
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I would like to connect with the team as I am looking for some help
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You can send a mail to chenthilnathan at gmail dot com
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