The younger took one with a prayer
Lord make me an instrument of your peace
"Shim bahbah, to jied hi ma phi," ong u hynmen
Ki don ki ba stang, ki don ki ba rben.
"Haduh katno baje phin shong hangne?" nga shu kylli
Haduh ban da lut ong u hynmen
"Ngi hap ban die lut, la da ka miet kan ap slem
Lym kumta, ka pisa ban thied khaw, kam dap, ba u rem."
"Phi shong phi sah ha ei?" Nga kylli biang
Ha Wahingdoh u hymen u jubab
"Ani ka jngai balei phi wan die shane?"
"Ba bun ki khynnah riewspah ba pule."
"Ko hep," u ong u hymen, "hatei to khie leit tyrwa,"
"Hatei ha jan jingkhang ka dukan ja
Wat peit shapoh ba ioh mai ki briew
Da husiar ar tad ioh hap ka pisa."
Slimmed they stood next to the restaurant
Bookmarks were on their hands
A black hat on the eldest' head
On the younger, a sweater that's red
Their faces shone the Bosco Square
Amidst the gloomy, happy faces of the students' there
Two rupees for one, and 5 for three
To the younger child crying they gave one for free
Their pants torn and hair unkempt
On the younger's sweater, his mom's jainsem
The pure floral tradition scent
Their mom bought long before the season of sullen.
Ko bah, "shim kawei seh tang ar tyngka
To shim seh bah", u barit u ban
"Lada phi shim, ngin ai san! san tyngka
To shim ban bah," u hymen run u ban
"Ap shwa khyndiat nga kwah ban ia kren," nga ong
"Em bahbah," u hymen u ong, "don bun ba dang sah
"Tang san minit, ka por, dei ba kordor bahbah,
Tang san minit, nga kular," bad ha dew bilat ngi shong.
"Phi leit skul ne em?" Nga sdang kylli
Ki nguh ka khlieh, bapli ki rangli
"Ani balei, ka jia aiu ia phi
Ngim don ka pisa ban siew ka skul fee."
U pa u trei kaei, nga kum lorni
Ngim tip, lah lai snem mynta, u ieh ia ngi
I mei pat i trei jingtrei aiu?
I mei i thiah ha iing ba i ioh pang TB.
Garmylo says:
"The poem is based on a real experience with the two boys (who are brothers) who were selling bookmarks at Don Bosco Square in Laitumkhrah, Shillong. It's about how we often forget to look at the other side of us, which is the spirit of humanity. We are so busy with the clanging of the world that our sights are limited to "The Us, We and I".
"Ki Arngut Shipara" is original bilingual poem by @_gar_my.lopdang . Thank you for this touching poem! ❤️
It is a narrative poem about two brothers who at a very young age become bread earners for their family. This is because their mother had been diagnosed with TB and their father on knowing about it, left her and the two sons.