Conversation with a Woman in my Dream
Vimal Kumar
Translated by
Shobha Narayan
The woman,
first knocked at the door
in dream of course.
She asked as she entered the room
‘how are my children?
They must be quite grown up by now
eligible for marriage.
Do they go to school or college?’
What do I tell that woman
how to tell her
that her middle daughter had eloped with a driver.
How to tell her that the names of her children
had been struck off their school
And their father had lost her jewels in gambling and drinking.
In dream of course
I asked that woman
to sit down.
The children are fine I told her
But do tell me something about yourself
how are you?
The woman answered
Ah, no time to sit,
I came just for a while
I should go, I must leave now.142 :: April-June 2009
But you are very quiet, she says in dream of course.
you don’t even tell anything,
why are all these papers strewn on your table
what have you kept in your box?
your room is filled with a strange odour.
well, what about work, your job?
what are you doing these days?
what do I tell that woman
who has walked ten years
to reach here
into my dreams?
In fact she used to live in my neighbourhood
doing odd jobs.
suddenly one day
her children started howling
her husband was dumbfounded
what do I tell that woman
I thought of course in my dream.
And I told her in dream as you know
rather desultorily– ‘something or the other jest goes on.’
Please wait for some more time
while I make tea for you
And the woman asked
in dream of course
well, tell me what is happening in our city?
as in old times do you still potter around with this or that?
The woman kept on sitting
in my dream of course
talking about varied things
telling about her experiences
As she departed
of course from my dream
her children came running to me.
How is our mother?
the middle daughter asked.
And the youngest daughter started sobbing uncontrollably
‘Ma does not appear for some days now
in my dreams’ said the eldest.
Looking at her serious face
this young girl
growing like a palm tree,
I became thoughtful
Next time when this woman
trespasses my dreams
asking so many questions
what would I tell her
what lies do I keep in stock
to convey?
Vimal Kumar,
Vimal Kumar
Translated by
Shobha Narayan
The woman,
first knocked at the door
in dream of course.
She asked as she entered the room
‘how are my children?
They must be quite grown up by now
eligible for marriage.
Do they go to school or college?’
What do I tell that woman
how to tell her
that her middle daughter had eloped with a driver.
How to tell her that the names of her children
had been struck off their school
And their father had lost her jewels in gambling and drinking.
In dream of course
I asked that woman
to sit down.
The children are fine I told her
But do tell me something about yourself
how are you?
The woman answered
Ah, no time to sit,
I came just for a while
I should go, I must leave now.142 :: April-June 2009
But you are very quiet, she says in dream of course.
you don’t even tell anything,
why are all these papers strewn on your table
what have you kept in your box?
your room is filled with a strange odour.
well, what about work, your job?
what are you doing these days?
what do I tell that woman
who has walked ten years
to reach here
into my dreams?
In fact she used to live in my neighbourhood
doing odd jobs.
suddenly one day
her children started howling
her husband was dumbfounded
what do I tell that woman
I thought of course in my dream.
And I told her in dream as you know
rather desultorily– ‘something or the other jest goes on.’
Please wait for some more time
while I make tea for you
And the woman asked
in dream of course
well, tell me what is happening in our city?
as in old times do you still potter around with this or that?
The woman kept on sitting
in my dream of course
talking about varied things
telling about her experiences
As she departed
of course from my dream
her children came running to me.
How is our mother?
the middle daughter asked.
And the youngest daughter started sobbing uncontrollably
‘Ma does not appear for some days now
in my dreams’ said the eldest.
Looking at her serious face
this young girl
growing like a palm tree,
I became thoughtful
Next time when this woman
trespasses my dreams
asking so many questions
what would I tell her
what lies do I keep in stock
to convey?
Vimal Kumar,
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