The Next Thirty Days...Day 23 (Words by Waman Nimbalkar)

One of the very few poems which has stayed on with from my school years is the poem "Shabdh" (Words) by Marathi poet Waman Nimbalkar. I am yet to come across any other poem that captures the strength of words in handful lines. Since the day I read the poem to this day it has never ceased to amaze how he managed to say so much with so little.

I remember Vapu Kale (another eminent Marathi writer) mentioning in one of his books that, "Words have more power than all the steam generated by Watt to get the first steam engine running." That is precisely what the poem does. And each time I have gone back to this poem...I have learnt new meanings of communication. Here I am reproducing the English version as I was unable to find original Marathi work. Also unfortunately I happened to misplace the notebook in which I had written the original. Nevertheless....read, reflect and realize the power of words.

WORDS

by Waman Nimbalkar

Words is that set aflame houses, homes, countries.
Men as well.
Words extinguish even the fire
in men set aflame by words.
Were it not for words, the sparks of fire
would not have fallen from our eyes,
great floods of tears would not have flowed
No one would have ever come near
Nor have gone far away -
were it not for words

(Translated by Graham Smith)

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