The poem 'The Buddha' by Daya Pawar
THE BUDDHA Daya Pawar I never see you in Jeta's Garden, sitting with your eyes closed, meditating in the lotus position, or in the Ajanta and Ellora caves, with your stone lips sewn shut, s sleeping the last sleep of your life. I only see you walking, talking, breathing gently, healingly, on the sorrows of the poor and the weak, going from hut to hut in the life-destroying darkness with a torch in your hand, giving their suffering--- which drains their blood like a contagious disease--- a whole new meaning. ____________________________ Translated from Marathi by Eleanor Zelliot and Jayant Karve. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS In this poem, the poet is glorifying Buddha who treated everyone as equal. Daya Pawar is telling that he did not know a Buddha who is simply sitting and meditating. The Buddha that he know is travelling and teaching his knowledge to everyone. In the poem there is a reference to Jeta's garden: "I never see you in Jeta's Garden,...