Bonsai of Thoughts (Translated)

Reflections in Miniature: One Hundred Forty-Two

1. Friend, why do you weep?
Love is just like this!

2. The repentant husband
falls at his wife's feet.
The child climbs up
onto father's shoulders.
Seeing this, mother
laughs with tender delight.

3. A woman's dreams...
do they come true!
A man's dreams...
do they remain true!

4. As the night deepens
in pleasure's wound,
even the shy mimosa
sheds her shame!

5. The one I love,
I push away,
the one I don't love,
I draw near—
only sorrow grows
in wild abundance.

6. The quarrel ends.
Not even the sound
of breathing can be heard!
Let's see now
who's more skilled at feigning sleep!

7. After separation,
living in separate houses
in the same neighborhood—
exile would be preferable!

8. What are you afraid of?
The sun's heat?
Or your own shadow?

9. Are you hurting?
Bear it a little longer.
Does it feel good now?
... This is where life begins!

10. If the gathering clouds increase your anguish,
then why delay any longer?
Let the rain fall!

11. I looked at her in such a way
that she covered herself even more.
She wanted me to look away—
but that wasn't the point at all!

12. Distance destroys love,
and so does the lack of distance.
Sometimes I think
love perhaps needs
nothing at all to be destroyed!

13. Floating in dreams of water,
how many rivers I have crossed!

14. After union,
leaving the bed,
reaching the door
but returning
for one last kiss—
he who does this
is as much a friend
as he is a lover.

15. By his funeral pyre
there were many,
but secretly
in the fold of her sari
an unknown woman
gathered ashes.

16. Even if only for me,
won't you wear
good quality lipstick?

17. Where is all that water of the Yamuna
with which to fill Radha's pitcher!

18. Not because he's going to the office,
but to hide the marks of night—
the poor man has put on a tie!

19. Her face
lingers in my eyes.
Her touch
clings to my body.
Her voice
awakens in my ears.
Her heart
lives in my heart.
And still you'll say
we are separate?

20. Lying in bed
thinking of him,
her bangles break
tinkle... tinkle...
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