WOMEN

Draping, the radiance of the sun sprawled
over a cool and unflustered dawn;
the unsullied dewdrops that recline
on the long curved blades of tumnou ee*
slither down with a hope to adhere to the earth
in a polished unhurried pace.

As the sunbeams stroke,
the dewdrop morphs into vapour;
astrayed before it felt the ground.


* tumou ee - elephant grass
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(Translated by Poireinganba Thangjam from the original Manipuri poem 'Nupi')

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