ভ্রুণহত্যা

এলোমেলো হাওয়ায়
ডানা ঝাপটে
বাথ্যাতুর জলসিঁড়ি মন
ভাবনায়
তর তর তর তর সর সর।

কামনার জুঁইফুল ঝরে,
ঘৃণার পাত্রে জল ফোটে টগবগ --
টগবগ -- টগবগ;
তবু --তবু ভালোবাসা মাথা খুঁড়ে মরে
আকাশে দুহাত তুলে
কবেকার গভীর সমুদ্রে
নীল পদ্ম খোঁজার মতন।

পদ্ম তার মুঠোয় ধরা দিয়ে
ভেসে ভেসে গেলে
জটিল জিজ্ঞাসায়
শঙ্খ চিলের মতন ভ্রুনের কান্না
'অন্ধকার থেকে আলোয়
আমাকে নিয়ে যাবে না ?'--
ছড়ায়--ছড়ায়--আলোয় --
হাওয়ায়।

[কবি অভিশ্যামল; ১৯৭৩]

The beginning

I was impressed
I was shot dead--on the spot
when he said he knew about Tagore
In the land of Statue of Liberty
I found few people
who were aware of our greatest poet
Bengal has ever produced.

So, I was shot dead--on the spot.
The blue eyed guy from Ireland
blew my mind
From that moment
We became friends.

Kolkata, India 

Don't

Do not love like a boa
Do not love like a poisonous snake either.
Love like a lotus;
Hiding its roots deep below the water
It only shares its beauty and pure heart.
If not lotus,
at least become a cactus
which doesn't need much water to thrive.

Kolkata, India

তাকে মনে করি

তাকে মনে করি--মনে করি
যে গেছে চলে অনেক অনেক দূরে

পৃথিবীর রূপ রঙ ভালোবেসে
ম্লান হেসে
সন্ধ্যাতারা ওঠার দেশে
অরূপ বেশে।

তাকে মনে করি--মনে করি
অথচ সে বলে গেছে
ভুলে যেও --ভুলে যেতে হয়
কেননা, সময় কারো সেত নয়
ঢেউয়ে ঢেউয়ে সে যে সরে যায়
যায় -- সরে যায়--মুচকি হেসে।

মনে আর করবো না
তাকে বলো কিনা
বলো-কে আর হৃদয় খুঁড়ে
ভালোবাসে, বেদনার নীল জলে
ডোবাতে তুহিন হাত?

সূর্য যখন মেঘের ফাঁকে
বিচিত্র হাসি হেসে
যায় চলে যায়
কোনো অজানার দেশে।

(কবি: অভিশ্যামল--তারিখ: ১৭-১২-৭২)
***********************************************************************************************
I recall her
I recall--one who has gone far far away
Who has gone away while loving the Earth
Who has gone to the land of evening star.

I recall her
I recall-though she said "please forget me"
Because we need to forget with time.
Because we need to heal.

I won't recall
No, I won't. 
Who would want to dig out the old pain ?
Who would want to touch the cold hand ?

The sun sets
The sun sets with a smile
and moves to an unknown world.

I recall her
I recall.

(Translated from Avi's poem written back in '72; incapable of doing justice to the original one. Tried to capture the essence of it)

                        

The Journalist

She was waiting for him---the journalist.
In her teen
it was the first time
she would be seeing a real one
outside the TV.

A medium statured guy with beard
arrived in the evening.
He was supposed to catch a flight next morning
And therefore, decided to spend the night in their house.

In her teen
She always wanted to be a journalist
and constantly dreamed about
going to the field, collecting evidence, and exposing crimes.
So, when she received a chance to meet a real journalist
She was super-excited.

Within a short span of time
He became her hero
and both of them became engrossed in discussions.

By the nightfall, she stood on the balcony
keeping her head on his shoulder.
Both of them looked at the darkness
and the twinkling stars;
They were still engrossed---talking intermittently.


Kolkata, India

Two of them

Among two of them
She was drawn to the older one.
She always considered
the younger one not enough mature.
The older one was her confidant.
The younger guy
felt left out in their private discussions.
They held hand
and often took a stroll avoiding the younger one.

Surprisingly, later in her life
She became closer to the younger one;
And the younger guy proved himself to her.
As she was always drawn towards generous people;
the younger one turned out to be a better person...
A person whose HEART flourished over time.

For her, life was never easy.
For her, life remained harsh
So, she keeps distance...
She keeps........................
She lives.........................
She lives with her secret.

Kolkata, India 

The Ganges

The Ganges--the river is mother to many of this nation.
The Ganges--the lifeline.

Whenever crossing over the iconic Howrah Bridge
I have a positive feeling looking at the river!
Also, I earnestly pray to her to fulfill my wishes.

I looked at the people on the sidewalk,
I looked at the crowded bus,
I looked at the people taking dip in the water;
I looked at the young chaps swimming near the ghat
And wondered how many of these people truly think of her.

Near the ghat, may be within half a mile or less,
We have poured garbage;
We have soiled her in every possible way...
And still we expect she would wash away our sin
Still we expect she wouldn't revolt
and serve us endlessly.

Kolkata, India

Missing You

Missing you
Badly missing you.
Even when I am going to meet
My close ones, my dear ones
I am badly missing you! 

The morning tea gets cold
It is tasteless
In this journey
You remain in my mind
And I am (honestly)
missing you.

Bardhaman, W. B., India 

Vacation

We used to laugh a lot!
We used to pretend
that we didn't know each other;
In fact I taught you how to play pretension game.
It was fun!

Then we had conflicts--
the last thing I ever wanted between us;
But only a true friend
identifies the flaws
and doesn't praise always.

It feels good to see
that my little bird has grown up
and his wings are enough strong
to carry the burden he has.
Now, I can relax,
Now, I can go on vacation.

If possible, I would write from there
But, I don't want to make any promise.
If possible, I would dig out the poems
buried in his old diaries!

It feels good to see
that my little bird is ready
to carry the burden he has.
Now, I can relax,
Now, I can go on vacation.


Lucknow, India.

The first revolt

It was Bhaiphonta when the first time I revolted;
I might be in third or fourth grade.
I had barely any knowledge of feminism
Nor I knew about gender equality.

The cousins came to our house.
They were given good food
The lamp was lit;
The chandan was prepared
They were waiting for us.

I was standing at the corner
When my sister completed the ritual
 my turn came;
And nobody could move me
a single inch from that corner.

I didn't want their gifts nor their blessings.
In my mind I thought
Will there be a single day
when I would receive the same treatment?

The two brothers were disappointed
And I knew I broke their heart
But I had to.

Lucknow, India 

He

"You are a great scholar"
  He said.
 The greatest compliment
  I could ever have in my life.
  In my mind I said "Not above you."
  I think he wanted to say "You have a good heart"
  But he couldn't say that
  So, he said a different thing.

  He was always stylish
  In his talk, in his presentation..
  While signing he held the pen in his left hand.
  He was a big man like a banyan tree.
  I used to wonder  how many hearts
  he had broken in his youth. 
    .
"You can work with the UN"
  He said.
  He always gave me big dream.
  And it was very hard to please him
  A very critical guy --So just one "thumbs up" from him
  Always lit thousands light on my face.

  Lucknow, India.