Poems by Umesh Solanki

The seed

Who are you?

Me? I am a seed in the depth of the earth

teeming since centuries.

If I get some space

I will soon grow into a tree

With twenty eight branches

In each and every branch

Each and every leaf wet with love

When you shall come

In my shade

I won’t ask you: Who are you?

Because I am the seed teeming in the depth of the earth

Since centuries.


Translated By Dr.G.K.Vankar

Modern Untouchability

It was blatant and blunt

Now it is subdued and subtle

Moved deep down to the core to remain invisible

Stuck solid at the bottom of heart

Caramel and honey

The innocent words loaded with scorn and hate

When i flip through their books

My fingers get pierced with pricks

I am on my road and maybe it’s my way

I don’t  get stumbled by their strike

But neither do i get to reach anywhere.

My pain has reached beyond.

Translated By Dr.Neerav Patel

Poem by Chandraben Shrimali

Appeal of a Dalit Mother

Yes, i am your dalit mother.

never feel inferior

o my dear dalit children!

I am proud of being a dalit mother

o born of my loins!

never forget dalit mother

who raised you suffering innumerable pains

tolerating hunger and  so many abuses,

now it’s your day.

only see that our loins are not tarnished

my sons.

Now you are not alone

we are by you side

tucking our saris at waist.

with power of pen Ambedkar got our eyes opened.

We are not poor, we are empowered

not a lump of soil, the foundation stones

now we are not helpless , we sparkle with our children with education

yes we are your dalit mothers

like forest fires

not the depressed, burnt

helpless poor dalit mothers.

Poem by Babaldas Chavda

The Mad Elephant

The  elephant is a wonderful animal  huge in size

calm and powerful

can not be controlled with reins

but

man put iron control on the elephant.

after a long time

the elephant came to understand

the slavery

roared for freedom

he caught hold of the keeper with sundh

and flung him afar

and crushed under his feet.

now people screamed

the mad elephant! the mad elephant.

the workers, the dalits

have turned mad now!