Explore two evocative poems translated from Tamil by Gowtham, now published on DifferentTruths.com, capturing raw human emotion and conflict.
I – You – He
In the story, there are three, including you.
One of them was stabbed to death
just a few minutes ago.
Now, there are only the two of you.
In both your hands,
sharp weapons.
Suddenly, a cloud of dust kicks up.
It’s impossible to tell which of you
is standing on which side.
One of you two…
it isn’t clear who,
plunges a dagger into the other’s chest,
drives it down and rips it open.
Blood gushes…
Oh god, the heat of it.
Hmm…
That’s all.
It is over.
Tell the truth,
in that final scene,
which of the two did you imagine yourself to be?
Applying Kohl to the Eyes of my Mental Illness
In my courtyard,
I sprinkled liquor to draw a sacred design,
and for my mental illness, still in its youth,
I adorned it with kohl and flowers,
seating it on the front veranda.
All to welcome you.
But you never came.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
And yet, it was I who unleashed the demons,
I, who utterly obliterated my own paths
so you could never arrive.
To brand and heal the wounds that have no words,
I took certain verses from the Kurunthokai* and,
with full ceremony, burnt them.
Everything...
Translator’s Notes: Kurunthokai is a classical Tamil poetic work, traditionally the second of the eight anthologies in the Sangam literature of South India.
Translated into English from Tamil poems by Veyil Perumal
Poet’s bio:
Veyil, born Pe. Veyilmutthu (1984, Tirunelveli) is a contemporary Tamil poet and journalist. Drawing from his rural roots, he writes about folklore, village life, and local traditions with vivid authenticity. He first gained recognition for Kutrathin Narumanam (The Fragrance of Crime). Influenced by Villuppattu and Sangam literature, he also served as editor of Junior Vikatan. His poetry gives voice to the marginalised and the landscapes of southern Tamil Nadu.
Picture design by Anumita Roy
GA Gowtham is a film editor, writer, and translator based in Chennai, India. His experience shaping screen narratives enriches his work as a literary translator from English to Tamil and as a writer. Attuned to cinema, politics, and culture, he has published essays and reviews in The Hindu Tamil, Ananda Vikatan, Kalachuvadu, The Print, and Cha: Journal. Through both visual and written storytelling, he aims to deepen understanding of contemporary arts and their cultural significance.
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