Mahesh Karki Kshitiz
All those roosted in my eyes
Tried to slip off the lids and fall aground.
In suddenness I remembered relations:
Between trees and fall;
Between a kid and placenta.
I then didn’t stop anyone
By shutting any of the doors.
I let them tumble
The way a river falls, leaving the mountaintop behind
The way cotton falls, leaving the cottonwood behind
When, all those destined to fall
Had dropped down
I looked at a teardrop fallen on the ground
And told myself:
If the eyes wait,
Hoping for the parted eardrops to return
I shall fall down too
Upon a path I shall never return from.
Trans: Mahesh Paudyal[Mahesh Karti Kshitiz (b. 1984) is a noted critic and poet. His published works include Byavharik Samalochanaka Kehi Aayam and Nayanraj Pandeyka Upanayasma Subaltern. He is a regular contributor to several national dailies and journals, and his pursuing his PhD in body politics from Tribhuvan University.]