HYACINTH'S WAY BY ZAWGYI

Hyacinth's Way (5)

TIME OF RISE AND TIME OF FALL

The two Byaing brothers, their wings white and clean,
Are leaving the shore to open fields, for feeding grounds;
For the lower parts of the creek, the mouth of the sea are seen,
To be in a state of the rising tide with waters abound.

With a red body wet all over with mud, the lady crab
Come out from her hole from the mudflat;
Is starting to climb the Khayar bush,
For in the southern part, in the sea the tide begins to push.

With a silver-foil wing, the dragonfly
Feeling insecure, jumps out clear
From a cluster of reeds, near the shore,
For the tide has started to grow.

At the time of the tide's rise,
Flows up the flower Beda,
The reed-piper applauds and claps the reeds together,
And longingly greets her.

The Byaing brothers, their wings white and pure,
With necks inclined broodingly, at the shore they waited,
The fishermen, again lurk, for food in the water,
For the tide's now abated.

With a red body wet all over with mud, the lady crab
With a hand upright nature, at the mouth of a hole makes a regal posture,
For the tide is now falling back.

With a silver-foil wing, the dragonfly again
Took shelter, in the reed cluster,
For the tide has fallen.

At the time of the tide's reflux,
Flows down the flower Beda,
The reed-piper waves the leaves of it's plant,
And longingly wishes her.

Zawgyi
(University of Rangoon Annual Magazine, 1957-1959)

NOTE
Byaing: The Little egret bird (Egretta garzetta)
Khayar: The prickly poppy plant (Argemone mexicana)