This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.
Tilangan / Telugu Woman
Turning and moving on the twisting mud fence between the fields,
Showering flowers of soft, sweet laughter,
Playing with your bangles, shy of others,
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O saucy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
The earth is all ears; the heavens are silent;
The cloud caravans have stopped to listen to your song;
O my bud-lipped one, O my sweet, sing out the song of the jungles;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O sassy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
At night, hearing your name, the stars come out to see you;
The scene of morning and evening converse with you;
Look! Nature bows and greets you;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O flirty Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
O daughter of purity! Unacquainted with gold and silver,
The self-sewn blouse of the pain, ignorant of modern civilization,
All roofs and doors prostrate themselves at your straw hut.
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O brassy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
I’m going away carrying in my eyes your picture;
I’m going away concealing in my heart an arrow;
I’m going away having spread the light of melody;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O, Telugu woman, go on singing; O sexy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
From: Bisāt̤-i raqṣ (Dance Carpet). Ḥaidarābād, Inḍiyā: Istiqbāliyah kameṭī jashn-i Mak̲h̲dūm, 1966. pp. 8 – 10
Turning and moving on the twisting mud fence between the fields,
Showering flowers of soft, sweet laughter,
Playing with your bangles, shy of others,
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O saucy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
The earth is all ears; the heavens are silent;
The cloud caravans have stopped to listen to your song;
O my bud-lipped one, O my sweet, sing out the song of the jungles;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O sassy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
At night, hearing your name, the stars come out to see you;
The scene of morning and evening converse with you;
Look! Nature bows and greets you;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O flirty Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
O daughter of purity! Unacquainted with gold and silver,
The self-sewn blouse of the pain, ignorant of modern civilization,
All roofs and doors prostrate themselves at your straw hut.
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O Telugu woman, go on singing; O brassy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
I’m going away carrying in my eyes your picture;
I’m going away concealing in my heart an arrow;
I’m going away having spread the light of melody;
O, don’t stop to look at this stranger! Go on singing!
O, Telugu woman, go on singing; O sexy Telugu woman,
go on singing!
.
From: Bisāt̤-i raqṣ (Dance Carpet). Ḥaidarābād, Inḍiyā: Istiqbāliyah kameṭī jashn-i Mak̲h̲dūm, 1966. pp. 8 – 10
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