The Poetry Devourer

 
Are you listening? Where are you? Why can't I find you?
Where have you flown, dissolved like camphor?
You've made up your mind to hurt me, haven't you? Tell me?
And here I'll writhe and die in agony...
You'll laugh terribly then!
Won't it be such fun when I'm in pain?


Tell me truly, for my sake
don't you ever feel even a little ache?
No tenderness? No urge to wonder how I am?
You just don't understand...because of you I'm so rhythm-broken today!
Without you in this life, everything's chaos now!


I think to write you a little...but the moment I think this,
suddenly a tsunami rises in my ocean of thoughts!
In my bereft sighs, I see no path ahead!
Ah, hearing all this brings you such relief...doesn't it?
You keep thinking, good, now that idle soul is really burning! Really burning!


One day, I told you, touch me a little!
You wouldn't, and I had nothing left to do!
So I merge with poetry, dissolve myself with a smile!
And keep you so tenderly inside my chest!
You're better off there...no one to interfere!


Because I give what I think so simply,
you're stealing away what little love remains!
When did you become such a poetry-devourer?
You used to say so much—don't hide your feelings and thoughts...
Show your sorrow when it comes! Share your joy when it arrives!...you used to say?
Where have all your arguments gone today?
That's why I call you in secret—destroyer!


Tell me, what would it be like if you were truly mine?
What if I were exactly to your heart's liking?
Look, one day I'll embrace you from behind,
touch your eyes, plant a kiss right there on your forehead!
Then I'll run away in one dash!
Let's see who stops me!
Let's see what logic you find then to lose me!


I tell you everything so clearly, that's why you understand me completely!
What a rogue you are...always looking for chances to defeat me!
I've been defeated since who knows when!
One thing! I won't stop at just one kiss!
The rest will happen when the time comes! That kiss—
is just one path among many to reach you!
I'll arrange offerings at the turns of a thousand new roads,
you just accept my worship when the time comes.


No matter how much you forget me, don't think of me,
still know this truly—I will love you.
I'll spend my whole life thinking of you...
You can stay with someone else if you want!