Old Tamil Poetry

Translations of Tamil Poetic works that span 2000 years

Kurunthokai – 133

In hilly tracts, golden millet grain stalks
half eaten by parrots sprout fresh leaves
When the skies open up – My friend! Likewise,
After he partook my charms and abandoned me,
I lost my vigor, yet I live!

புனவன் துடவைப் பொன்போல் சிறுதினை
கிளி குறைத்து உண்ட கூழை இருவி
பெரும் பெயல் உண்மையினே இலை ஒலித்தாங்கு, என்
உரம் செத்தும் உளெனே-தோழி!-என்
நலம் புதிது உண்ட புலம்பினானே.

He has seduced her and they have made love. He promised to come back to marry her. But he hasn’t returned so far. She laments to her friend “Hilly tribes plough the land and grow golden yellow millets. Parrots eat the grains and leave the stalks denuded. Yet, when it starts to rain the half eaten stalks sprout fresh leaves. I am in a similar situation. We made love and he partook my feminine charm and left me. I suffer in loneliness and have lost my vigor. Yet I live in the hope that he will come back as promised. Like the rain reviving the half eaten stalks, his arrival shall revive me”
புனவன்  – hill tribes
துடவை – fields
சிறுதினை – short millet
கூழை  – short
இருவி – stalk
பெயல்  – rains
ஒலித்தாங்கு – like how it grows
உரம்  – vigor
புலம்பினானே – suffer in loneliness
உளெனே – still there (alive)

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2 thoughts on “Kurunthokai – 133

  1. Another beautiful one. . these poems are so well crafted!

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  2. adityacholan on said:

    Excellent!

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