First Padauk Flowers

First Padauk Flowers
(Padauk Oo)

"Oh, so beautiful... "
Branches heavy with dangling flowers
Golden buds and yellow blossoms everywhere
Dainty delicate and pretty prettier
It was when the first padauk flowered.

"See, See, there... it flowers"
Shouted in joy from many door openers
Talking and running helter skelter
Under the yellow padauk tree they fled after
Collecting and colliding fallen flowers.

So greedy and dumb men
Some jumped on the tree and hacked it
Cut branches and twigs
Divided swiftly and snatched quickly
People mixed and mingled madly.

Because of snatching, catching and smashing
Padauk flowers were trampled and crushed
Leaving dark green leaves and stumps
In an unorderly dump.

I was thinking to cover
My beloved dark hair
With choicest golden flowers
As ornament by her dear lover, I.

Under the brokn branches
I stood and glanced
Observed a blossom ready to pick up
Heard, "Oh, sir, I just wish
To offer it to Buddha if..."
So saying competing with full of vigour
Our hands clashed clutching each other.

Dagon Taryar (Taryar Magazine 1947)
Translation by Dr. Maung Maung Nyo

Padauk = Pterocarpus Indicus