I shall stand
on the gallows
and indulge
in daydreams
Another world
whispers endearments
on the swing
of my dreams
I shall stand
on the gallows
and envision
sweet dreams
My sweet dreams
shall come true
and the whole world
shall smile
The red army
shall open its wings
and spread
in all directions
The fearless
red army
shall achieve
liberation
The wind
from the villages
shall encircle
the cities
It shall
build graves
for evil spirits
and demons
I shall stand
on the gallows
and gaze
upon another world
History
shall bring down the curtain
on this inhuman
world
On the Himagiri*
of humanity
the red flag
shall fly
From the great flames
of the revolution
the new man
shall rise
In
the Kalahari desert
new lilies
shall bloom
I shall stand
on the gallows
and sing
the radiant song
I shall place
my neck on the executioner's block
and play the lute
of the universe
The seven seas
as one
shall sing
the universal song
The camaraderie
of the hammer and the sickle
shall show
the path of light
Holding the sun
in his palm
the peasant
shall plough the field
The moon
in the factory
shall spin
the wheel
The worker
of the clenched fist
is the helmsman
of the new world!
The glorious
worker
is the wearer
of the crown of stars!
I shall stand
on the gallows
and indulge
in daydreams
Another world
whispers endearments
on the swing
of my dreams
Friends!
Don't spill
your tears
for me!
Don't forget
the struggle!
Don't give up
the red flag
Hold fast to
the gun in your hand
with
great caution!
My blood
shall not go to waste
My death
shall not go to waste
In the pond
of my blood
a new world
shall bloom
The music of life
shall be heard
in the presence
of my death
I shall adorn
my neck with the noose
and hail the revolution!
I shall hail victory!
I shall stand
in the face of death
and sing the song of life!
I shall sing the song of new life!
…………………………………………….
…………………………………………….
Farewell! Farewell!
Farewell to the gallows!
Farewell to the noose!
Prison wall! Farewell!
Serpent hood! Farewell!
…………………………………………….
…………………………………………….
Farewell……..Fa………………….
…………………………………re…….
…………………………………………well!
Fa………………………………………….
My translation of the Telugu poem 'uri paaTa' by K. G. Satyamurthy ('Sivasagar'); from his collection of poetry 'Sivasagar kavitvam'.
*Himagiri: The Himalayas.
Written in May, 1972. The poet says he composed it when two guerilla activists, bahujan peasants, Bhoomaiah and Kishta Goud were sentenced to death.
Tags: Sivasagar