Self Banishment to the Meza

Self Banishment to the Meza
(mimi ko ko meza thoh poh chin)

Once in the Burmese history
The king was very angry
So, he issued an order without plea
For Poet Laureate Letwethondra
To be banished to Meza*

As for me
No body ordered it so
It’s just my wish and I go there
And live in the modern Meza.

This Meza is situated
Far away from any tar road head
Bounded by a field on one side
And a forest and mountain on the other side
Wide blue sky hovers right above
And green grass lands everywhere
In the lake water two suns reign
Pearl on rising and gold in evening
Sun disc moon disc sparkling in the lake
So are the glass blades and flakes
Thus a revolving kaleidoscope is made.

Stars moon and sun coexist
With earth shrubs sky trees and hills
Light and darkness are original
No cover or hiding intentional
Really simple and upright
All genuine inside
Thus nature is wise.

In one place
A field stays in front of a nearby stream
That flows screaming towards the Hlaing river
Snaking between field’s borders
Fishes fly crabs climb over the raised boundaries
And near the pond bitter rhubarbs are found
Field watercress abounds; “Pluck it if you like to eat”
Said the old Karen chief that I heard with great relief
His plum trees compound gate situated a crow’s fly away
On the sticky muddy way that I walked back
It was quiet and peaceful.

A gale brings rain readily
Fills field with water that appears golden and silvery
Emerald diamond colours of clouds
Green shreds and emerald blocks floating
In the sun sparkling and shining, graying at night
Moon dust stardust buds of jasmine and “Morning Glory”
Swimming in water splashing and splattering
They have been alive well and wriggling
Making the field at water edge white and flashing.

During the season of rice transplanting
Fields are full of water with rain clouds hanging
Daily wage earners, the women rice planters, bending
Raising their longyis’ lower ends, move about
Wearing long helmets, the gadoos or bamboo hats, the kha-mauks,
It’s about their life I painted; full of hue and colours
It’s so beautiful ever.

At daytime, it’s an open field
Strong wind blows through freely
With curved beaks scratch the earth greedily
Searching food and quacking gurgling screaming swiftly
A group of ducks waddles in the shallow stream
Sounds of cocks, hens and ducks mingling
At night croaking of toads and frogs lingering
With those of insects dragon flies and crickets shrilling
No moment of silence, it’s the jungle scream
It is so amazingly pleasant.

This Meza is an island
Situated in the pleasant country side
I’m quite happy
No company for writing, or for reading
No critic or opponent attacking
No order and no application
I’m unknown, no one knows me
No adversary no war
Only fresh and wild nature
It is free land, a peaceful land.

* It was during the reign of King Sinbyushin in the 18th century that minister U Myat San, also known as Poet Laureate Letwethondra, was banished to Meza that was a secluded far away village in northern Burma, now situated in the present Kachin State of Union of Burma. Since then, a Meza or the Meza means a banished remote place in Burma.

Dagon Taryar (Moeway magazine 1986)
Translation Dr Maung Maung Nyo (5.4.2007)