Kuzhur Wilson
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan
The name was Antappan.
On his wedding invitation
He printed the famous words
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi -
(Today it's me, tomorrow it will
be you.)
Whoever asked
“Are you nuts, Antappaaa?”
Got a voiceless laugh in reply.
In native tongue
The laughter said
No quotes are quoted
Except through one’s own life.
Though not a charming name
It ‘s true that from that day
Antappan came to be called
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan.
Everyone who attended
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan’s
wedding
Wolfed down the pork and the beef.
Everyone who attended
Hodie Mihi CrasTibi Antappan’s
wedding
Gifted pretty sums of money in
envelopes.
Everyone who attended
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan’s
wedding
Said nasty comments about the bride.
Everyone who attended
Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan’s
wedding
Asked the sound system guy to play
You are lucky I am lucky loudly.
But before that a small incident
at the church. As soon as he set his eyes on Antappan who was a grave digger
the Chaplain forgot the wedding and without asking who died began to set
the church bell tolling in that rhythm reserved for deaths. The senior
Priest who heard it came running and opening the small prayer book for
the dead began to sing the song the seeds sprout in the fields when it
rains. Hearing that the girls in the choir sang the rest of the song when
they hear the clarion call life sprouts in the dead and went on to the
prose portion I call you lord from the abysses. Seeing that the boy who
helps with the communion lighted the candle and incense stick for the dead.
(Meanwhile the bride’s naughty song you who is not dead yet will you not
kill me tonight also rang in Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan’s ears.) Hodie
Mihi Cras Tibi Antappan who realized that the same flowers meant to be
wreaths at some house of death were now adorning his bosom as a garland
laughed his famous voiceless laugh.
translated to English by Ravi Shanker
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