Poem by Unmesh Highlights Dalit Struggles

Born on August 5, 1994, in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Bal Krishna Lal 'Unmesh' is a prominent Indian poet of the younger generation. So far, two poetry collections by him, 'Chhichhle Prashna Gadhe Uttar' and 'Kaun Jaat Ho Bhai', have been published.

He, who gives a clear voice to Dalit consciousness, has been honored with the 'Om Prakash Valmiki Smriti Sahitya Samman' and the 'Malkhan Singh Sisodia Kavita Puraskar'. This week, we present a poem by Unmesh in Ratopati's weekly poem feature. It has been translated from Hindi to Nepali by Rohit Bastola.

Which caste do you belong to, brother?

'I am Dalit, sir!'

No, I mean, what category do you fall into, I asked!
I fall into your abuses,
Into the dirty drains,
And into the plates kept separately, sir!

So, you fall under Hindu?
Yes, I do, sir! But only during your elections.

What do you eat, brother?
'I eat what a Dalit eats, sir!'

No, I mean, what do *you* eat!
I eat your beatings,
I eat the burden of debt,
When times are very difficult,
Sometimes with salt, sometimes with pickle, I mix rice and eat, sir!

No, I thought you eat chicken!
I do, sir! But during your elections!

What do you drink, brother?
'I drink what a Dalit drinks, sir!'

No, I mean, what do *you* drink!
I drink the pain of untouchability,
I drink the strength of broken dreams,
And I drink all the illusions seen with open eyes, sir!

No, I thought you drink alcohol?
I do, sir! But during your elections!

What did you get, brother?
'I got what a Dalit gets, sir!'

No, I mean, what did *you* get!
A life full of insults,
The garbage you left behind,
And even in that, a mortgage on life before parasites like you, sir!

I thought you might have received some commitment?
I do receive that too, sir! But during your elections.

What did you do, brother?
'I did what a Dalit does, sir!'

No, I asked what *you* did!
I worked for hundreds of days to build a pond.
Working from morning till evening, drenched in sweat,
And saluted the Bisht-Baraju on the way, sir!

I thought you might have done something great?
I did, sir! Your election campaign!