Poems Of India - XXVIII

 You can make them talk

if the serpent

has stung

them.

You can make them talk

if they're struck

by an evil planet. 

But you can't make them talk

if they're struck dumb

by riches.

Yet when Poverty the magician

enters, they'll speak

at once,

O lord of the meeting rivers.

-- BASAVAŅŅA [Translated by A. K. Ramanujan in the book - Speaking of Siva]

Till you've earned

knowledge of good and evil

it is

lust's body,

site of rage,

ambush of greed,

house of passion,

fence of pride,

mask of envy.

Till you know and lose this knowing

you've no way

of knowing

my lord white as jasmine.

--DĒVARA DĀSIMAYYA [Translated by A. K. Ramanujan in the book - Speaking of Siva]