Shefalika

Dr. Baidya Nath Varma,Professor Ennitus of Sociology,The City University of New York



ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF MAITHILI POEMS





Shefalika Verma has written two outstanding books in Maithili; one a book of poems titled “BHAVANJALI”, and the other, a book of short stories titled “YAYAVARI”. Her Maithili Books have been translated into many languages including Hindi, English, Oriya, Gujarati, Dogri and others. She is frequently invited to the India Poetry Recital Festivals as her fans and friends are important people. I do not have to give more introduction of her as her achievements speak for themselves.



Shefalika, the poet enjoys being with her lover. Who else could he be except her husband?



I will translate for the readers some of her poems to show her affection for life and the agony of bereavement from her sweet heart.



Her poems take leaps in all directions and focus on nature, from flowers to lakes and mountains, from the sun to the moon to the stars, and finally she reaches humanity –she embraces them all.



Let us follow her dreams in BHAVANJALI now….



[Poem No. 11]



“The flower “Rajanigandha” is crying,

Although blessed with a garland of stars,

“Singarhar” is shaking with pain,

The clouds are showering rain…

…..from the mouth of the sky.

You came silently without exposing your body

Now you have become my life.

You are decorating the smile on my lips for eternity.”





[Poem No. 14]



“…you are searching yourself in my eyes

If you do not see yourself you are lost.

But I have decorated you in my heart…”



Then she goes into a different world….







[Poem No. 20]



“…you make me dance as you wish,

I live my life as you want,

Then why are you measuring the guilt of each of us?

Oh God, You are not free of guilt!”





[Poem No. 26]



When my heart becomes desert

You shower rain on it.

And I receive a new life.

You have given me everything:

Truth and falsehood,

Sin and godliness,

Respect and people’s hatred…”



She floats in the heavens now...





[Poem No. 41]



“How will my song reach you?

The fragrance of my breadth flies around the world to reach you.

The tears of my bereaved eyes flow drop by drop.

You left me, the moon left…

The music vanished from the moonlight.

The beauty of the dawn evaporated from my life,

And the season of songs vanished for me –

I had hoped forever.”



And the world changed, she found her soul.





[Poem No. 49]



I have traveled the world...

Visited all the religious places, dipped in the holy rivers,

And found that in the small space of my Heart,

All the elegance of the world exists.