Sujata Bhatt

Shérdi (Cana de azucre)

 

Deste xeito aprendín
a come-la cana de azucre en Sanosra:
Emprego os dentes
pra resga-lo duro chaal exterior;
entón, mordo nas tiras
do branco corazón fibroso e
zugo forte cos dentes, premendo cara abaixo
e vértese o zume.

Nas mañás de xaneiro
o granxeiro corta a tenra e verde cana de azucre
e tráenola á porta.
Ás tardes, namentres os maiores dormen
escapamos cos talos tersos e longos.
O sol quenta, os cans bocexan,
os nosos dentes fanse fortes,
as nosas mandíbulas entumécense
tras horas a zuga-lo russ, o zume
                                               pegañento todo pola man.

Así pois á noite
cando me dis que empregue os dentes
pra zugar máis forte, máis forte,
entón, eu cheiro a herba de cana de azucre
                                                             no teu pelo
e imaxino que te agradaría ser
shérdi       shérdi       fóra nos eidos
               os talos abanean
                           abrindo un camiño diante nosa.

 

Shérdi (Sugar cane)

The way I learned
to eat sugar cane in Sanosra:
I use my teeth
to tear the outer hard chaal
then, bite off strips
of the white fibrous heart ―
suck hard with my teeth, press down
and the juice spills out.

January mornings
the farmer cuts tender green sugar-cane
and brings it to our door.
Afternoons, when the elders are asleep
we sneak outside carrying the long smooth stalks.
The sun warms us, the dogs yawn,
our teeth grow strong
our jaws are numb;
for hours we suck out the russ, the juice
                                                           sticky all over our hand.

So tonight
when you tell me to use my teeth
to suck harder, harder,
then, i smell sugar cane grass
                           in your hair
and imagine you'd like to be
shérdi       shérdi       out in the fields
               the stalks sway
                           opening a path before us.