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The Earth Is Not an Old Woman
The earth is not an old woman-
O corn of wheat!
O flower turned cotton!
Earth is not old!
She has stood up again
With new robes.
This our earth
Is a cow who has given birth to a calf,
She is happy
She wants that all her milk be
Poured in the little mouth of the new-born.
She seems as if all her udders are full,
All her nerves are eager to give
As if a musical instrument is well-tuned,
For a new melody.
The earth is not old.
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The milk is ever fresh
Whenever any woman
Gives birth to a child,
The body becomes green,
As in spring there is youthfulness;
Again the breasts are full of milk
As if new color is filled
In the parting of the hair of Usha!
Its taste is new,
The wheat is ever new,
The milk is ever fresh.
The earth is not barren and old
O corn of wheat
O flowering cotton!
The earth is not old.
Translated from the Punjabi by P. Machwe
Usha: The goddess of dawn.
Hindu women apply vermilion powder to the central parting of the hair.