Still wearing flower in defiance

Still wearing flower in defiance
(pan pan hleb pe)

At the foot of brown fawny swampland
Hyacinth rises and falls with wave bends.

Falling is not an easy thing
A fallen coco branch floats downstream
Screaming and slamming the tiny hyacinth
To collide her sides to sink.

Collision is also not easy
Next, a tide covers her completely
Drowning our beauty, lady hyacinth blue
Rise of wave at body's length floating her anew.

Floating back is also not easier
From a little streamlet ducks appear
Flocks of ducks near hundreds
Hyacinth numbers just one head.

Braving kicks and brawls
Flying hyacinth grit and growls
Wearing a flower defying and daring all.

ZawGyi (Rangoon University O'way Magazine, 1960)
Translation by Dr. Maung Maung Nyo (18.3.2007)