Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Kamal Vora

No. 13 The old men are happy today

No. 13 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
One of them 
was able to walk two steps 
without a crutch. 
One was able to see some 
distinguishable shapes. 
One was able to hear a sound, 
however indistinct. 
One was able articulate a word, 
however unintelligible. 
One was able to bend  
a long-forgotten frozen finger. 
One was able to calm  
the wheezing tempest 
in his chest. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
The afternoon sun is 
gentle today, 
the south-westerly wind  
endurable. 
The birds bring 
a light to their eyes. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
Today 
the old men are not bored. 
 
They laugh a little. 
They weep a lot.

No. 13 The old men are happy today


૧૩
 

વૃદ્ધો
આજે આનંદમાં છે
એક, લાકડી વિના બે ડગ માંડી શક્યો
એકથી ઝાંખુંપાંખું કશુંક જોવાયું
એકને આછુંઆછું કંઈક સંભળાયું
એકના ફફડતા હોઠોમાંથી
અસ્પષ્ટ પણ ઉચ્ચાર નીકળ્યો
એક, લાકડું થઈ ગયેલી આંગળીઓ વાળી શક્યો
એકે, શ્વાસના ઉછાળાને શાંત પાડી દીધો
વૃદ્ધો
આજે આનંદમાં છે
આજે તડકો કૃણો લાગ્યો
પવનનો સુસવાટો સહી શકાયો
પંખીઓ જોઈને આંખો ફરકી
વૃદ્ધો
આજે આનંદમાં છે
આજે વૃદ્ધોને કંટાળો ન આવ્યો
આજે
વૃદ્ધો ત્રુટક ત્રુટક હસી શક્યા
આજે
વૃદ્ધો ધ્રુસકે ધ્રુસકે રડી પડયા

Close

No. 13 The old men are happy today

No. 13 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
One of them 
was able to walk two steps 
without a crutch. 
One was able to see some 
distinguishable shapes. 
One was able to hear a sound, 
however indistinct. 
One was able articulate a word, 
however unintelligible. 
One was able to bend  
a long-forgotten frozen finger. 
One was able to calm  
the wheezing tempest 
in his chest. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
The afternoon sun is 
gentle today, 
the south-westerly wind  
endurable. 
The birds bring 
a light to their eyes. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
Today 
the old men are not bored. 
 
They laugh a little. 
They weep a lot.

No. 13 The old men are happy today

No. 13 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
One of them 
was able to walk two steps 
without a crutch. 
One was able to see some 
distinguishable shapes. 
One was able to hear a sound, 
however indistinct. 
One was able articulate a word, 
however unintelligible. 
One was able to bend  
a long-forgotten frozen finger. 
One was able to calm  
the wheezing tempest 
in his chest. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
The afternoon sun is 
gentle today, 
the south-westerly wind  
endurable. 
The birds bring 
a light to their eyes. 
 
The old men  
are happy today. 
 
Today 
the old men are not bored. 
 
They laugh a little. 
They weep a lot.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère