Today, when new lives shall be planted
by digging up roots
from the time that doesn't return,
ascend these moonlit steps
and walk into my poem
Now, defying the dwija's role
'Chandala'!
Walk into my poem as a herald!
Come, to pour boiling lead
into the ears of the history that boycotted you!
Come so that you can
pee into the current Manu's mouth!
Come!
My translation of Pagadala Nagender's Telugu poem 'vaitALikuDavai raa! padyamlOki' (from the collection of Dalit poetry 'daLita kavitvam- 2' edited by Dr.K.Lakshminarayana).
Tags: Pagadala Nagender