Translated from Balochi by Fazal Baloch
Storytellers unfolded their tales,
Yet we paid them no heed.
Again, they unfurled their tales,
It didn’t bother us, indeed.
As tales unfolded, we drifted to sleep,
Fairies, demons, djins, and devils
Crept into their lore,
Yet we remained ignorant, as before.
When the Simurgh swallowed the snake,
Nothing we did care.
When the princess fled with a shepherd,
Curiosity filled the air.
When the thieves broke in the warehouse,
Clamours spread far and near.
And when war arrived, knocking at our door,
We left for the mountains, grasping the swords.
At last, we knew: stories are not lies anymore.
Manzur Bismil is a prominent Balochi poet. He emerged on the literary scene in the early 1990s and soon rose to fame, creating a niche for himself in the pantheon of the Balochi poets. He is widely known for his neo-classic style, especially in his verses. So far he has published eight anthologies of his poetry. This poem is taken from the poet’s poetry collection Sahaar (The Fear) published by Demrawi Majlis Muscat in 2017.
Fazal Baloch is a Balochi writer and translator. He has translated many Balochi poems and short stories into English. His translations have been featured in Pakistani Literature published by Pakistan Academy of Letters and in the form of books and anthologies. Fazal Baloch has the translation rights of of this poem from the poet.
PLEASE NOTE: ARTICLES CAN ONLY BE REPRODUCED IN OTHER SITES WITH DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BORDERLESS JOURNAL
Click here to access the Borderless anthology, Monalisa No Longer Smiles
Click here to access Monalisa No Longer Smiles on Amazon International
Borderless 