Dating a Skeptic ... 2021

It is rare to find a poem that addresses a skeptic/atheist. I came across a delightful one in Marathi (see at the bottom of this post), and had fun translating it into English.

Dating a Skeptic

Though you're a skeptic

I drag you to the temple

And you come along

Just for my satisfaction

I do the rituals

With offerings to the altar

While you give alms

To beggars at the entrance

I strive to get ahead

For a good view of the altar

While you relish the beauty

Of the temple architecture

Annoyingly I nudge you

To bow your head in reverence

While you are busy enjoying

The tranquility of the temple

I worry about the footwear

We had to leave outside the door

You say, "A needy one may take them"

And we can walk barefoot home

I wonder who's the one

To be blessed by my god

The believer in me, or

The skeptic in you

The Marathi original (poet unknown):

तू नास्तिक असूनही तुला
दर्शनाला नेणारी मी
माझ्या इच्छेखातर
येणारा तू

हारफुलांचा भाव करत
ताट घेणारी मी,
दारातल्या भिक्षुकांना
मदत करणारा तू

रांगेत पुढे जाण्यासाठी
धडपडणारी मी,
देवळाची सुबकता
न्याहाळणारा तू

चिडून नमस्कारासाठी
तुला खुणावणारी मी,
देवळातील प्रसन्नता
अनुभवणारा तू

देवळातही चपलेची
काळजी करणारी मी,
गरजूने नेली असेल
म्हणून अनवाणी चालत निघालेला तू

खरंच....देव नक्की कुणाला पावत असेल?
माझ्यासारख्या आस्तिकाला...
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