In the Cane Groves
of Narmada River

Nights of jasmine and thunder,
torn petals,
wind in the tangled kadamba trees
nothing has changed.

Spring comes again and we've
simply grown older.
In the cane groves of Narmada river
he deflowered my
girlhood before we were
married.

And I grieve for those faraway nights
we played at love
by the water.

(Shilabhattarika 9th Century)
Translated by Andrew Schelling