Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Beef beef

The meat I have eaten since my cord was cut

The meat that has risen as bone of my bone

The meat that has raced as part of my blood;

When you drove me far from the village

When you found even my footprints untouchable

When you couldn't even see me as human

What stood by me

And brought me here was beef;

When you bragged, presenting your side,

Your forefathers drank ghee

Undertook many exploits and so on

It was only beef which stayed with me

Stood by my side;

When its udders were squeezed and milked

You didn't feel any pain at all

When it was stitched into a chappal you stamped underfoot and walked

You didn't feel hurt at all

When it rang as a drum at your marriage and your funeral

You didn't suffer any blows

When it sated my hunger, beef became your goddess?

My translation of the Telugu poem 'goDDu mAmsam' by Digumarthi Suresh Kumar (from the collection of Madiga poetry 'kaitunakala danDem').