Adivasi Writers: An Introduction to India's Indigenous Literature

Ujjwala Jyoti Tigga, "Earth's Unnamed Warriors" (translated poem; 2019)

Earth's Unnamed Warriors

This much is certain
that despite everything
we will live on as wild grass
flourish and bloom like wild flowers
everywhere, all around

Even after wilting, drying up, being trampled
crushed, squeezed
again and again, somewhere throbs
a stubborn tune
of continuing to bloom and flourish

In the dark deep caves
and caverns of the mind
we will remain spread out, remain steadfast
on the earth's chest
becoming a blanket of greenery

We will remain steadfast on the borders, on the battlefield
becoming earth's unnamed warriors
all of us until the final edge of time


Translated from Hindi with the assistance of Claude (generative AI)
Originally published in the Kavi Man Jani Man anthology, 2019

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