Heartthrob Jubilee

Heartthrob Jubilee
(yin khon than yatu thabin)

Ten twenty years
Thirty or forty years ago
Young vivacious and attractive also
Youthful and so lovely at first sight
Brown piano and nails red bright
Really thrilled and excited.

Fragrant and captivating
Love makes her faking smiles and wiles
Taught me about her laughs and cries
Understood her likes and lies
Her weaknesses, strengths and styles
Experienced life’s downturns and designs
Bright shining stars and moon at nights
Enjoyed to walk together with high heads.

Boats and sampans lurching
Steamers and pontoon bridges creaking
Pony carts and trains bumping or fleeting
Suffering motion sickness, still walking on the beaches
Collecting “flame flowers”, roaring in darkish blue niches
Riding motorized launches snaking through floating islets
Galloping gliding and speeding, splashing fresh water droplets
Making misty far mountain ranges pop nearest
Gazing and eating sour Shan rice at rest
Smelling fragrant pine and Tamar (Nim) odours
Enjoying sight of yellow sunflowers all over.

In the shades of jungles and mountains
Lake, islands and water fountains
Glassed sidewalks, caves and dark terrains
Sweat-less, fresh and smart, yet dusty and dark the same
Sounds of Saing and accordion reined
That of Ozi and gongs acclaimed
Moved in the crowd and giggled plain
Cuddled and chuckled at the steps of lion mane.

On white and black squares
Of bathroom we mumble
Assemble red stalked lotuses at Saturn corner
Poured water over Buddha image to be drowned
Clutching happily African daisies abound
“Now, come Thanakha seller” she howled
Bargained and bought somehow
Holding salted Chinese plums in a bowl.

Friends agree fondly
Adversary frown, however, old mates renewed
Sweet smile reserved only for the people
No different from me on comparison
Same belief and similar psyche
No one can divide us, oh, never parting thee!

Dagon Taryar (1979)
Translation Dr Maung Maung Nyo (30.3.2009)