Radheshyam Lekali
At the moment, the peaceful mountains that used to stand
with their heads high and unwavering conviction
are expressing hatred, anger and grief
with their vacant heart in dark shapes
turning themselves into volcanoes
It’s true; the mountains at this moment are ablaze,
transforming themselves into ashes, tears, and stains of blood
The mountains looked gorgeous due to the matchless beauty of nature
that stood embracing the warmth of the sun
in the sweet gust of the breeze
playing hide and seek with the clouds
whereas today smoke and storm and wind
have made them ugly
They have become ugly
It’s true: the mountains at this moment are burning,
converting themselves into ashes, tears and stains of blood
Those mountains that used to wear
the lalupate flower on their heads and be happy among the crops
like paddy rice, buckwheat, and mustard seeds
are now flying hawks over the clear skies
with evils and absurdities
In the hateful destruction they are playing sad tunes in flutes
At the moment the forest is stinking
and small children are suffocating
for breath and the birds are migrating
It’s ture; the mountains at this moment are ablaze,
changing themselves into ashes, tears and stains of blood
The mountains are flowing blood from the falls
the beauty of hills at this moment looks stark ugly
not peace, but clamor has filled the hills
the beautiful songs of the hills have now turned into anger and slogan
the hospitality and friendliness of the hills at this moment
has turned into cold treatment and hatred
the corn fields are lying barren
cattle are hungry
small children are unable to sleep in sounds
like that of thunderstorm
what cold hearts did enter this?
They are shouting in angst
in the clear, fresh and peaceful mountain
at this moment the mountains are shouting
It’s true; the mountains at this moment are flaming,
transforming themselves into ashes, tears and stains of blood.
Translated by Govinda Raj Bhattarai
Radheshyam Lakali is an author dedicating more to literary activities than to writing. However, his muktaks are highly powerful. With a bias in favor of human values, he infuses the collective urge of the time along with a little of minute experiences and little of contemporary paradoxes. Poet Lekali was born on 6 July 1958 in Ilam District of Nepal. He started writing in 1973, and his first published work appeared in Saugat in 1974 in the form of a poem “Bhanu Prati” (On Poet Bhanubhakta). His published works are Vartamanko Dastavej (Document of the present, muktaks), Premabhivyakti (Expressions of Love, muktaks), Kathmandu ra Kathmandu (Kathmandu and Kathmandu, muktak), Pahadharu Jalirahechhan (The Hills are Aflame, poems). Poet Lekali has received special honors from British Gorkha Study and Research Center and other organizations, including literary. He is presently the President of International Nepali Literary Society, and is based in Kathmandu. He was the President of International Nepali Literary Society from 2017 to 2019.