My Haikus – III (મારાં હાઈકુ – ૩)

Click here to read in Gujarati
In my previous blog Posts on Haikus, I have much more said about the physical structure and its characteristics. Now, just to make a long story short, I’ll represent still two more Haikus in Gujarati. In this Blog post, I have translated my Gujarati Haikus in English with my own criticism for my English Readers. But, before to proceed further, I am little bit tempted to represent an English Haiku which has attracted me a great. Let us be its co-sharer to enjoy.

Jonas-Lichtenwallner writes:

“when crows came

from somewhere, fogs

began to talk.”

Now, go to my two Gujarati Haikus as follows:

ભૂલકું તાકે

ટોયગને નિશાન

ગાંધીછબિએ ! (૨૬)

Innocent child

pointing toy-gun to

Gandhi’s photo ! (26)

(Here is the biting irony in presentation of this Haiku. It’s a queer world ! The great prophet-like personality was shot dead with a real pistol and bullets. Can we equate that cruel deed with a child game? Certainly, not !!! A super human fought for the mission of Non-violence throughout his life and tragically became the victim of violence like Abraham Lincoln. T. S. Eliot (A Noble Prize Winner) has rightly written in his book on poetry “Four Quartets” in “Burnt Norton” that human kind cannot bear very much reality.)

ઈશુછબિને

ટીંગી દિવાલે, હાય !

ઠોકી ખીલા રે ! (૨૭)

Jesus’ photo

put up on wall, oh !

being nailed ! (27)

(Here also is one more tragedy of human life that the people failed to recognize Jesus. He was crucified by torture with nails, wounds and thorny crown. About two millenniums passed and the cruelty towards Jesus is still alive in the hearts of the followers. His merciful last words – “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” will continue echoing into the universe till the Day of Judgment. The photo of Jesus is being hanged on the wall with nails. There is the satire in this Hykoo as if human kind is not satisfied with nailing to Jesus and still the photo of him is nailed. No doubt, the intention behind putting up the photo of Jesus on the wall is bonafide for remembrance of him; but nailing to photo frame reminds us that tragic day of shame to human kind.)

That’s all.

Gujarati Haikus written and translated by :-

– Valibhai Musa
Dtd.: 19^th November, 2007

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