By Thakur Belbase
Man is a complex chain of landslides
That begins its journey from the midst of a landslide
To reach a shelter that rests on the landslide itself
In such a long odyssey of life
It’s not that we never meet fellow travelers
But their hearts are like
The newly built motorways in the remote hills
Where huge aspirations crumble in landslides
In every step
Keeping the landslide in amnesia
Even when life tries to flow like the Marsyangdi
It also flows through landslides
The river too
Is not obstructed by landslides
This sun that accompanies the journey
Temples that we meet along our passage
Are all in the landslides
It seems there is nothing that is left
Besides these landslides
It is itself an exploration of landslides
When you try to climb the hill of dreams
Keeping aside the remnants of landslides
If there were no landslides
Where would life be!
Man is a landslide
And the landslide a man
Who knows:
Anyone can be trapped
In anyone’s crumbling!
(Trans: Keshab Sigdel)
[Thakur Belbase (b. 1976) is a Nepali poet and media professional. His published works include Sagarko Waripati Manharuko Samarocha and Achanak Yo Saanjh, and Trashma Ishwar, all being collections of poems. Winner of several national awards, he is associated with Radio Annapurna, Nepal. Originally from Arghakhanchi District, he presently lives with his family in Kathmandu.
