‘Never got rid of the Yoke from the Shoulder’ (काँधको जुँवा फाल्न सकिएन)

Saran Rai

‘Namlo’ from the forehead
Yoke from the shoulder and loads of the donkey
Never got rid of
Tiny holes of the life/heart
Have grown larger to that extent
Never been able to patch

To maintain a little breath of life
Had to be a bird, had to be a mouse
Had to be a bull, and donkey
Could never been an elephant
Could never been a lion
‘Namlo’ from the head, yoke from the shoulder never got rid of
It was said that it’s merely a stomach but … could never fed enough.

Translated by Pancha Vismrit

Note:
Namlo: is a kind of band especially made from jute thread, used to place around one’s forehead when carrying loads on the back.