Bairagi’s poem “Give me a little bit of faith”

The poem “నాక్కొంచెం నమ్మకమివ్వు” (“naakkonchem nammaka mivvu”) is written by Bairagi (1925-1978), a Telugu poet, known for his modern poetry in Telugu literature. His poetry is modern in the philosophical sense: he wrote about the ambiguity, uncertainty, and dearth of faith that comes with knowledge. His poetry shows the nuance of western philosophical movements of the early 20th century, steeped in the stories, metaphors and aesthetics of the Indian literature. In Telugu poetry where it is common to mistake verbal dexterity to poetry, or sledge hammer propaganda to purposefulness, or regurgitated classical aesthetics in new similes and metaphors to innovation, his poetry stands out in its nuance, in its thoughtfulness, and in its depth. Reading Bairagi is a life-time passion, continually reflecting on our understanding, our growth, and ultimately ourselves. 

While translating this poem, I ended up reading it several times. Bairagi often resorts to satire in his poetry to express the absurdity. Let us look at the context for this poem. From enlightenment onwards, there is a belief that increased knowledge is good on its own. It makes crops grow and factories hum. It helps with diseases, famine, and other disasters. Yet, by the time the world wars came, the same knowledge was used to kill and destroy people and nations. The inexorable faith in the idea that knowledge leads to wisdom is shaken. Faith in humanity and human institutions is lost. Eliot famously says: “After such knowledge, what forgiveness”? 

There are two directions one could take: to reject the progress and go back to an idyllic world — which is what some romantic poets extol. Theirs is a world filled with simplicity of ages: of bygone eras, of brooks, trees, and farms. It is a constant lament about separation from nature. There were famous writers, including Tolstoy, who took this path, of restoring what was lost with the progress.

Then, there was the other group of poets that recognized the loss of innocence as a price to pay for progress. They strive to understand the nature of faith that gives us power to act, in the face of indecision. Forever wary of faith that transcends reason, that transcends understanding, that transcends even change, they nevertheless want to have faith. This constant struggle of peace that comes with faith, power that comes with knowledge is what you see in this poem.

In this poem, Bairagi brings in metaphors from European influences. Observe the words cigarette tin, cigarette butts, and match boxes. In ‘Wasteland’, Eliot talks about “ The river bears no empty bottles, sandwich papers, // Silk handkerchiefs, cardboard boxes, cigarette ends”. They signify the emptiness of the modern world.

 In my translation, I chose to diverge from the original in two ways: I changed the locale and references to English poetry. The Gods have changed their names! The second significant way I departed from the original is done in quest for cadence in the verse. Only the reader can tell if this departure is worthwhile.

Give me a little bit of faith

Give me a little bit of faith

I will grind down the mountains to dust

I will push the bleeding tomato like sun

And pizza like moon off the dirty plate that is the sky

I will embrace the earth with my strong hands

And roll it into a mat.

With one stroke of my pen,

I erase the sorry fates of helpless men.

I will throw out injustice and chaos 

From majestic halls of life.

I will do this and that and everything.

But, just one thing –

Give me a little bit of faith

I will wrestle with the devil himself,

I will wrest the bolt from Zeus

I will banish all the weapons.

I will bestow spring’s first blush of flowers

And summer’s sunkissed fruits to each house.

I will have lakes dug, wells dredged and

Filled with the flowing snowmelt waters

As water fountains to weary travellers.

If the world becomes as full as a spring break hotel,

I will have one more grand hotel built.

I will tear down the multi-hued fabric of the morning

And have it cloth all the needy.

I will do this and that and anything.

But, just one thing –

Give me a little bit of faith

Faithless body, empty cigarette tin

Faithless soul, empty matchbox

Faithless life, burnt butt of a cigarette

I have this and that, every and anything.

But, just one thing – 

A little bit of faith

Give me a little bit of faith,

Faith!

Faith!!

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