Bonsai of Thoughts (Translated)

Thoughts in Bonsai: One Hundred Forty-Five

1. Some stories are like poems.
Some poems aren't even like stories!

2. Shameless writer,
Embarrassed reader,
Indifferent seller—
Let these three not make a book fair.

3. Going out to hunt tiger,
the brave hero caught a goat instead
and brought it home to cook mutton biryani.

4. When I had no money to travel,
I had time on my hands.
When I finally got the money to travel,
I have no time left.

5. My house has a thatched roof.
The light that enters through its holes—
can you even imagine
how many mansions' worth of light that equals!?

6. Ah, who eats whose invitation!
The one for whom the feast was prepared is absent today!

7. When there's no friend by my side,
whether I go to the tavern or the temple—
what difference does it make!

8. What kind of address is this
where my own letters don't reach
my own self!
And this very address is what you call love!

9. Don't think even by mistake, seeing her laughter,
that she's fallen in love with you!
She doesn't love you—she loves to laugh.

10. Even when the donkey goes to the tiger,
it still brays like a donkey.
There's no fault of its own—
that's simply its call!

11. I didn't break my fast seeing the moon,
I broke it seeing you.

12. Some weep in the name of love,
others weep from love's consequences.

13. The one I love—
let her outward beauty fade away,
so no other eyes may fall upon her!

14. You didn't understand, beloved;
what was merely words to you
was my entire life
to me!

15. As long as there's breath,
there's hope.

16. Every evening when it comes
precisely because you're not here
you arrive...

17. If I like them...
people of my country!
If I don't like them...
people of another faith!

18. You keep crying "land, land!" so much—
after death, this very land
will scatter your ashes!

19. Life takes such great care
to preserve life...
For the rest of life to run out,
throughout the whole of life!

20. Let the storm come instead!
Otherwise, what excuse will I have
to embrace you...breaking through shame!
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