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Aapni Boli Bolo
A Poem by MICHELE GIBSON
A nikka hassna came from the chunn
The mitthaa khushboo of the sohnaa samundar was changa
But I saw my words float dUr on the havaa and disappear
I could not tell kaun took them or kaun let them go?
They were not dukhi or crying
I accused the chunn
But oh replied -
"I saw the diaspora scattered but not confounded!
Blame yourself, you waste the words
They spill from your lips and they go dhilla
You meet each other and you let them wander off and die
The Guru, Angad, gave you the power to know the agg in the words
But you must tend them to bring them back alive
Hurry!
Sat Sri Akal
Sat Sri Akal
Sat Sri Akal,
But, at what cost.
And
How will you ever know, if you let the words get lost?"
November 29, 2009
Conversation about this article
1: Aman Kaur (Mohali, Punjab), November 30, 2009, 8:18 AM.
A timely reminder to us all that we need to tend to our maa boli ... by properly introducing it to our children! Michele, you have crafted your message so beautifully. Thank you.
2: Gurinder Singh Johal (Amritsar, Punjab), December 05, 2009, 9:12 AM.
Our Maa boli is being neglected. It has become normal to put billboards in 'vilaaiti boli'. Even in Punjab, it appears we are not interested in teaching our children Punjabi. All the hindus in Amritsar prefer to speak Hindi at homes due to an inferiority complex. But when they dance and fight and weep, they do in it Punjabi!