World Poetry Festival magazine 2021

ôy¡yëûy¡yô èþy£ìy
Malayalam Language

250

Sweeping the front yard

Anita Thampi

In the front yard of a house deep in slumber
its eyes fast shut the broom sweeps
into memory sprouting pustules of soil
at dawn
It is possible that the rain loosened the earth
last night
Earthworms must have
stirred it deep within, toiling , perhaps sleeplessly, to
build tiny homes of earth

Only to be razed, to be scattered,
in finger-streaks that the broom leaves behind
after the sweeper girl’s
morning dance, her bent backstep

The sweeping done,
dawn breaks
Light falls, the eyes
of the house open
No footprint
Not even fallen leaves
How clean it is!

The newspaper arrives
Having scoured
the depths of night, it falls
stumbling against the door
Then she rises from clearing the last remnants
So thirsty, she’d drink the coffee to its lees.

English Translation : J. Devika

251

’þzöì‘þyl !l†þyöìlyîû ¤ôëû

x!l•þy íy!Á›

‰%ôhsý îy!’þüîû ’þzöì‘þyl !l†þyöìlyîû ¤ôëû
öèþyöìîûîû ôy!þîû ß¿,!•þîû îÊ” þ›!îûÜñyîû †þöìîû Vþ„yþyÐ
¥öì•þ¥z þ›yöìîû ˆ•þ îûyöì•þîû î,!ÜT lîûô †þöìîûöìSé ôy!þ
þ›!îû×ô# ö†„þöì‹þyîûy ly ‰%!ôöìëû xyöìîûy ˆèþ#öìîû
!lôÅy” †þöìîûöìSé •þyöì˜îû öSéyþ îy!’þü

•þyöì˜îû ’þzþ›öì’þü öæþ¡y ¥öìëû!Sé¡–
¤•þÄ ¥öìëû öíöì†þ öˆ¡

Vþy’þY˜yîû öôöìëû!þîû öèþyîûy¥z ly‹þ xyîû •þyîû þ›˜öìÇþþ›

†þy ö¢£ì– öèþyîû ~öì¡ !l†þyöìly ’þzöì‘þyöìl
!Séöì¡y ly ~†þþyG þ›yöìëûîû Séyþ›– Ö†þöìly þ›y•þyÐ
xq$•þîû†þöìôîû þ›!îûÜñyîû !Séöì¡y ¤îœ
~îûþ›îû ˆ•þ îûyöì•þîû ˆèþ#îû•þy î%!Vþöìëû
˜îûyëû ™yEþy !˜öìëû !l’þzöìþ›þ›yîû ~öì¡y–
îy!†þ%þ†%þG ¤yæþ †þöìîû ö¤ þ›yl †þîû¡ †þ!æþîû •þ¡y!l%þ†%þÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

252

253

254

The Fish English translation : Author herself

V. M. Girija

I can’t
Swim around and float around,
As a fish,
To rise like a blue lotus
On the cold water tops,
Or to swim and dunk
Like the roots.
I must go,
And savour the scent of mud.
I must sparkle,
As star on the sky,
Reflected in the water.
The lush green tree
Tosses flowery pallor
To the water.
I must bud
On those blossomed branches
And shine in the moon.
I must go
To the dew drops at grass tips,
And gleam in the sun
Refracted in them.
I can’t
Taste only water,
Blow only the breath
Encased in the water cell.
My dear soil, dearest sand,
Beloved days, which come and go by.
I must see
The picturesque maps
Drawn over and over by time
In black and in white.
I can’t get cold,
As a fish in this flow.
I must glow
Like thousand gems,
As lightning.

255

ôySé

!èþƒ ~ôƒ !ˆ!îûy

¤„y•þîûyöì•þ þ›y!îûly– èþy¤öì•þ þ›y!îû!l ôyöìSéîû ôöì•þy–
‘þyuþy öì¡îû Gþ›îû íy†þöì•þ þ›y!îûly þ›öìpîû ôöì•þy
’%þîöì•þG þ›y!îûly !¢†þöì’þüîû ôöì•þyÐ

ôy!þîû ˆöì¦þîû †þyöìSé xy!ô ëyî
öì¡ ²Ì!•þæþ!¡•þ xy†þyöì¢îû •þyîûyîû ôöì•þy μ¡μ¡ †þîûöìîyÐ

¤î% ˆySé öì¡îû Gþ›îû !î!Séöìëû ö˜ëû
öþ›¡î æ%þöì¡îû ˆy!¡‹þy– ú¤î ’þyöì¡
xy!ô æ%þöìþ íy†þöìîy ‹þ„yöì˜îû xyöì¡yëû ˆy ô%öìSéÐ

‰yöì¤îû ’þˆyîû öæþ„yþy öæþ„yþy !¢!¢öìîûîû
†þyöìSé ëyöìîy– xyîû !¢!¢öìîû íy†þy öîûyöì˜îû †þyöìSéGÐ

öì¡îû ߺy˜ öþ›öìëû!Sé Ö™%Ð
öì¡¥z Ù»y¤ !löìëû!Sé–
!²Ìëû ôy!þéŸéîy!¡éŸé²Ì!•þ!˜öìlîû lylyl ˜,¢Ä韟Ÿé
¡éŸéöèþyîûŸé¤y˜yéŸé†þyöì¡y ¤î ö˜‡öìîyÐ
xy!ô ¢#•þ¡ ¥öìîy lyÐ
xy!ô ôySé ¥öìëû îöìëû ëyöìîyÐ
¥yyîûþy îûöìbîû ôöì•þy μ¡μ¡ †þîûöìîyÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

256

257

Words English Translation : J. Devika

M.P. Pratheesh îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

On the crown
of the erect palm,
An enormous bird.
Below,
A house with no humans.
It lives in the thorns
And thickets.
Wild boar
Leopards
Ghouls.
Worms that never saw any light.
Moths.
Sprouting fruit.
Spreading blooms.
They all live there.
Around the palm,
At its foot,
Scars, fruit, split, torn.
Blood, saliva,
sticky fluids.
Jagged words.

¢öì·îûy

~ôƒ !þ›ƒ ²Ìí#¢

•þy¡ˆyöìSéîû ôyíyëû ~†þ!þ ²Ì†þyuþ þ›y!‡
l#öì‹þ ôylî¥#l ~†þ îy!’þü
‹þyîûþ›yöì¢ †þ„yþyéŸéöVþyþ›éŸéîlÄèþyÍÔ%†þéŸé!‹þ•þyîy‰éŸéè)þ•þ
xyöì¡y ö˜öì‡!l ~ôl þ›•þDéŸéôíéŸéæþ¡éŸé†%„þ!’þüŸŸŸé~¤î¥z îy¤ †þöìîûÐ
•þy¡ˆyöìSéîû þ›yöìëûîû †þyöìSé Çþ•þéŸéæþ¡éŸé†þ„yþy
îû_«éŸé¡y¡yéŸéxy‘þyéŸéxô¤,” ¢öì·îûyÐ

258

259

The Last Look

M.R. Renukumar

Like the kid who leaves the classroom last
looks back at the
silent emptiness.
Like the
last shed leaf
looks back at the bough, its home
before it touched the ground.
Like the lone animal
who pulled through the forest fire, half burnt,
looks back at the raging fire
Its home till then.
Like the last crayon bird on a worn out wall
with no creepers to hide,
looks at the roller brush
Inching closer with its colour.
Like the last fish
flung to the bank
from a dried up pond looks at the pit
which was once a pond
amidst it’s mid air flight.
The last drop of blood looks at my body.

ö¢£ì •þy†þyöìly English Translation : Shyma P

~ôƒ xyîûƒ öîûl%†%þôyîû îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

†Ïþy¤îû&ô öSéöì’þü ëyGëûy ö¢£ì Séye!þîû
!æþöìîû •þy†þyöìlyîû ˜,!ÜTöì•þ íyöì†þ !lhßì¸þ ¢)lÄ•þy
~ öël ’þyöì¡îû ö¢£ì þ›y•þy–
ôy!þ öSé„yëûyîû xyöìˆ îy!’þüîû ²Ì!•þ ôôc–
~ öël îöìl íy†þy ö†þyl x™Å˜?þ þ›Ö
˜yîylöì¡îû ôöì™Ä îlöì†þ¥z ö˜öì‡
îl¥z •þyîû îy!’þü îöì¡Ð
~ öël ¡•þy¥#l öèþöì. þ›’þüy ö˜Gëûyöì¡îû
öîûy¡yîû îÊyöì¢îû îûöì.îû !˜öì†þ •þy!†þöìëû íy†þy öe«ëûl þ›y!‡Ð
~ öël Ö†þöìly þ›%†%þîû öíöì†þ þ›yöì’þü þ›öì’þü
î„y‹þöì•þ ‹þyGëûy ôySé öë þ›%†%þöìîûîû ¢)lÄ•þyöì†þ ö˜öì‡Ð
~ öël xyôyîû ö˜öì¥îû îûöì_«îû ö¢£ì !î¨%Ð

260

G!’þüëûy èþy£ìy
Odisha Language

262

263

A Night in Winter

Binapani Debta

Translated by Arupananda Panigrahi
A banyan tree
Grow luxuriantly in our middle As we meet
So do our loneliness.Your song is ember stretching arms to feel my frigid hand.
This Winter night is witness to our friendship we are to spread it
Till none is lone
For
Life to homes
Crops to fields
Flow to the rivers-
Let’s be rainfall
Let’s be particles of soil again
And smoothen the rudes and roughs
To the sublime.
At this hour
Every space needs a drop of colour
Every pain need to be shared and dissolved in dewdrops
Come, Let’s be with the night’s solitude deep
And keep vigil on crops of the people asleep.

English translation : Author herself

¢#öì•þîû îûy•þ

î#”yþ›y!” ö˜î•þy

xyôyöì˜îû öèþ•þöìîûîû îþˆySé ²ÌyKþ xyôyöì˜îû ~†þy†þ#öìc
ö•þyôyîû μ¡hsý ˜%¥y•þ îy!’þüöìëû ö˜ëû xyôyîû ¢#•þ¡•þy S%é„öì•þÐ
~¥z ¢#öì•þîû îûy•þ xyôyöì˜îû î¦%þöìcîû ¤yÇþ#Ð
ö†þ’þz ~þy lëû– öëö쥕%þ ˆ,öì¥îû #îl– öÇþöì•þîû ¢£ìÄ–
l˜#îû î¥ôyl•þy– îy˜¡– ôy!þîû †þ”y
¤î¥z ¤¥ ö¥y†þ– xyöìîûy èþyöì¡y ö¥y†þÐ
~ ¤ôëû ¤î îû.#l ö¥y†þ– ¤î †þÜT ö¢£ì ö¥y†þÐ
îûyöì•þîû ~ ˆèþ#îû ~†þy†þ#c ~öì¤y–
ôylöìîîû ‰%öìôîû þ›öìîû ööìˆ íyöì†þyÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

264

!¥¨# èþy£ìy
Hindi Language

heesmìJeÀe[&

meblees<e SuesJeÌme

cesjer hesbMeve ©JeÀ ieF& nw
ceeb JeÀer leyeer³ele Kejeye nw
Kehejwue ìtì ieS nwb
Fme yeej Yeer heÀmeue Kejeye nes ieF&
Dehevee Ke³eeue jKevee
yesìe, nes meJesÀ lees SJeÀ yeej ieebke Deevee

Post Card

Santosh Alex

I don’t receive my pension anymore
Mother is ill.
The tinned roofing is broken at many places.
This time too
the crops have been destroyed
Take care of yourself
Son,
if possible come to the village once.

öþ›yÜT†þy’þÅ English translation : Author himself

¤öìhsýy£ì xÄyöì¡: îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

¥yöì•þ xyöì¤!l öþ›l¢l 266
ôyöìëûîû ¢îû#îû ‡yîûyþ›
Séyöì˜îû !þl öèþöì.öìSé îà ßiyöìl
~ îSéîûG lÜT ¥öì¡y æþ¤¡
þ›%e– !löìîû ö‡ëûy¡ öîûöì‡y
þ›yîûöì¡ ~†þîyîû ¥öì¡G @ýÌyöìô ~öì¤y

267

Thank you! Thank you father!

Abhigyat

Even before my weep
The sea water was saline.
Even before my eyelids opened
The sun had already risen.
Even without my laughter
The flowers bloomed in the garden.
The milky moonlight remains untouched by my delight
The wind continues whispering
Even if my entirety is not stimulated.
The baffling greenery barely fades with my sorrows
The incessant rivers turn their backs on me
Everything flows in its own rhythm
In his own verses.
All I have to do is
Resonate with the beat.
Then, O my lord…
What is the rationale of my existence in this limitless cosmos?
One sudden day
I received a reply that
I am bestowed with the faculty of senses
Feelings
Consciousness
To admire this aesthetic
Only I shall imbibe every taste of the world.
Only I shall get enchanted by the lustre of the rainbow.
Only I shall praise
Wow! How generous this world is
Elegance
Flavour and Ecstasy.
Only I shall relish
The kingdom of formidable grandeur.
And this is all I must do
And convey
The Lord for everything
Mere gratitude
Thank you! Thank you father!

English Translation : Geetanjali Jha

268

™lÄîy˜ !þ›•þy

x!èþKþy•þ

xyôyîû †þy§¬yîû þ›)öìîÅ¥z ¤ô%öìoîû ¡
!Séöì¡y ¤Äy¡y¥zöìlîû ôöì•þyÐ
ö‹þy‡ ö‡y¡yîû xyö숥z ¤)öìëÅy˜ëû ‰öìþ!Sé¡–
¥y¤yîû xyö숥z æ%þ¡ æ%þöìþ!Sé¡ îyˆyöìlÐ
xyôyîû xyl¨ ß›¢Å †þöìîû!l ˜%™éŸé¤y˜y ‹þ„yöì˜îû xyöì¡yöì†þ
îy•þy¤ î¥z!Sé¡– xyôyîû †þöìÜT ÁÔyl ¥ëû!l
l˜#îû ²Ìîy¥ !†þ‚îy ¤î% ö¤ï¨ëÅ–
¤î¥z !löìîû Séöì¨ !Séöì¡y–
Ö™% !löìöì†þ ~¥z Séöì¨îû xhsýè%þÅ_« †þîûöì•þ ¥öì•þy
~¥z ²Ìî¥ôyl !îöìÙ» xyôyîû x!hßìöìcîû
’þzöìjöì¢Äîû !î£ìöìëû ylöì•þ ö‹þöìëû!Sé¡yô ²Ìè%þîû †þyöìSé–
’þz_îû ~öì¡y ~†þ!˜lÐ
~¥z !îÙ»öì†þ xyߺy˜l †þîûöì•þ– îû.™l% ’þzþ›öìèþyˆ
†þîûöì•þ– ~¥z ö¤ï¨öìëÅîû !î¢y¡•þy ²Ì†þy¢ †þîûöì•þ
xyôyöì†þ ö˜Gëûy ¥öìëû!Sé¡ ö‹þ•þly– xl%è%þ!•þ–
™lÄîy˜ ö¥ !þ›•þyœ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

269

270

If

Kunwar Veer Singh Martand

If it is prickling
But like an alpin
Who also prick
Combines two letters
Letter - on which some words are inscribed
Words - which are Brahm.

Burn if you want to burn
But like a lamp
Who gives light even by burning
Prakash - the one who drives away Tamas
Tamas - symbol of ignorance
Ignorance - the father of anger
Anger - the root of all evil

Melt if it is to melt
But like snow
River that melts
River speed
Speed is another name of life

Drown if you want to drown
But like a diver
From the deep depths of the ocean
Search brings pearls
Pearl shining
Shine which is a symbol of personality.

If it is to be molded
But like the sun
Which rises again
With new dawn
What morning brings
Happiness, enthusiasm and new energy
Energy that is necessary for life.

English translation : Author himself

271

ë!˜

†%þôyîû î#îû !¤‚ ôy•þÅuþ

ë!˜ ö¤ xy¡!þ›öìlîû ôöì•þy †þ„yöìþ›–
˜%!þ îöì”Åîû ¤Dô ‰þyëû–
ö¤¥z î”Å ¢öì·îû ²Ì†þyöì¢ ¤y¥yëÄ †þöìîû–
¢· ëy îÊáþ 韟é
•þöìî •%þ!ô þ›%öì’þü ëyG ë!˜ þ›%’þüöì•þ ‹þyG
²Ì˜#öìþ›îû ôöì•þy μöì¡ ’þzöì‘þ xyöì¡y ˜yG–
ëy x¦þ†þyîû ˜)îû †þöìîûÐ

²Ì†þy¢ ߺëû‚ •þöìôy!îöìîûy™#– •þô/ xKþ•þyîû ߺîû*þ›Ð
xKþ•þy îûyöìˆîû l†þÐ îûyˆ ¤ôhßì Çþ!•þîû l†þÐ

ˆ¡öì•þ ‹þy¥zöì¡– îîûöìæþîû ôöì•þy ˆöì¡
l˜# ¥öìëû o&•þ öîöìˆ îöìëû ëyGÐ
öîˆ #îöìlîû xlÄ lyôÐ

’%þîöì¡ ’%þî%!îûîû ôöì•þy ’%þöìî
¤ô%öìoîû î%†þ öíöì†þ ˜,® ô%öì_«y !löìëû ~öì¤yÐ
˜,®•þy îÄ!_«öìcîû xlÄlyôÐ

¤)öìîûÄîû ôöì•þy xhßì öˆöì¡ xyîyîû l•%þl
öèþyîû ¤öìô•þ !æþöìîû ~öì¤y ëy ¤%‡– ’þzê¤y¥–
¢!_«îû ²Ì•þ#†þÐ

¢!_« #îöìlîû lÄ ²Ìöìëûyl#ëûÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

272

The Spring of the old man

Ashok Varma
Is the spring of the old man only
A sweet and passionate memory
Of coloured flowers of Palash and cotton
And greenery of tender leaves tossing in the breeze?
Is the spring of the old man only
Tortured-poverty,
A touch of imagination& dream,
An intention of throwing desire,negligence&avoidance in the fire?
Bowed by the heaviness of sorrows
Affection dries within.
The razzle-dazzle,
Crowded procession of pictures,
Puppet-dance,
Colour throwing,
Uncontrollable youth,
Shameful but reckless expressions?
Is the spring of the old man
A festive dissection of a corpse?

English translation : Author himself

273

î%öì’þüyîû î¤hsý

xöì¢y†þ îyôÅy Œ!¥¨# G îy‚¡yŠ

î%öì’þüyîû î¤hsý !†þ
þ›¡y¢Ÿé!¢ô)öì¡Ÿéîûy.y
Ö™% ôy˜†þ ô™%îû ß¿,!•þÚ
lî#l !†þ¢¡öìëûîû ¤î%yèþ þ›y•þy
¥yGëûyŸéö˜y¡ ôy•þy¡ ²Ì†,þ!•þÚ
î%öì’þüyîû î¤hsý !†þ
˜y!îûoŸé¡y!Nþ•þ– †þÒly G ߺ²ÀŸöSé„yëûy
xîKþy G ’þzöìþ›Çþyëû ¤yöì™îû xyà!•þÚ
˜%/‡ èþyöìîû l%öìëû þ›’þüy
!èþ•þöìîû¥z Ö!†þöìëû ëyGëûy ²Ì#!•þÚ
÷¥ŸéàÍÔ%’þü–
Sé!îîû !ô!Sé¡– †þy‘þly‹þ–
îû. ôy‡yôy!‡
öëïîöìlîû ˜yþ›y˜y!þ›
¡y%†þ xí‹þ öîþ›öìîûyëûy x!èþîÄ!_«Ú
î%öì’þüyîû î¤hsý !†þ
ô,•þ ’þzê¤öìîîû ôëûly•þ˜hsý
¡y¢ †þyþyŸé†þy!þÚ

274

ôyîûy!‘þ èþy£ìy
Marathi Language

276

That unspared one we had never thought of

Ganesh Visputay

It’s sharp ‘this o’clock’
At this hour, this or this friend or girlfriend
may be at a certain spot
at a particular place on the map,
in a certain kind of light,
in semidarkness...
On the chair, on the bed, on a stair, on the road,
At the table, at work,
or, may be lying down lazily...
Having seen them in the backdrop-light,
you are sure of all this.
With the guesswork from your assumptions
you track down the heaven
of certainty of their existence
That they will commit suicide
without giving us even a faintest hint,
Or, they will tighten the noose around their necks
and hang themselves,
Or will jump into some river from some bridge
and commit suicide,
Or will consume poison,
Or will die in an Emergency ward untreated...
This speculation, the unspared one,
you have never considered at all

Even after their noses are plugged with cotton-balls,
they continue to breathe in our breathing
You have forgotten to ask them
where and how they are,
and that where are they to go now

But, by then, they disappear...
They vaporize into air into air
Turning into formless void that space within them
from where they have resorted to
a ruthless take-off...

English translation : Author himself

277

ëyîû †þíy xyôîûy †þ‡lG èþy!î!lƒƒƒ îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ ö¤y¥ô ‹þe«î•þÅ#

ˆö씢 !î¢þ›%öì•þ

!‘þ†þ ò~¥z ¤ôëûó
~¥z ô%¥)öì•þÅ– xô%†þ îy •þô%†þ î¦%þ îy ö²Ì!ô†þy
íy†þöì•þ þ›yöìîû !l!˜ÅÜT ~†þþy ö†þyíyG
ôyl!‹þöìeîû !l!˜ÅÜT ö†þylG ßiyöìl–
!l!˜ÅÜT ~†þ xyöì¡yëû–
xyöì™yéŸéx¦þ†þyöìîûƒƒƒ
ö‹þëûyîû– !îSéyly– !¤„!’þü !†þ‚îy þ›öìí–
!†þ‚îy öþ!îöì¡– †þôÅîÄhßì–
!†þ‚îy– ¥ëûöì•þy x¡¤ Ööìëû xyöìS郃ƒ
þ›þè)þ!ô†þyîû xyöì¡yëû •þyöì˜îû ö˜öì‡Sé– •þy¥z
•%þ!ô !l!Ù‹þ•þ ~¤î îÄyþ›yöìîûÐ
xl%ôyöìl ‡%„öì lyG •%þ!ô
•þyöì˜îû x!hßìöìcîû ߺˆÅ– ¤%!l!Ù‹þ•þ

xyôyöì˜îû Çþ#”•þô xyèþy¤%þ†%þG lyéŸé!˜öìëû
•þyîûy öë xyd¥•þÄy †þîûöìî–
!†þ‚îy– ˆ¡yîû ’þzþ›îû ¢_« †þóöìîû æþ„y¤
V%þöì¡ þ›’þüöìî–
!†þ‚îy– ö†þylG ö¤•%þîû öíöì†þ l˜#öì•þ !˜öìëû Vþ„yþ›
xyd¥•þÄy †þîûöìî–
!†þ‚îy– ˆ¡yëû “þy¡öìî !î£ì–
!†þ‚îy !îlyéŸé!‹þ!†þê¤yëû ôyîûy ëyöìî xyþ›ê†þy¡#l !îèþyö숃ƒƒ
~öì¥l xl%ôyl– xîÄy¥!•þ¥#l
•%þ!ô †þ‡lG †þöìîûy!l

~ôl!†þ ë‡l •þyöì˜îû lyöì†þîû !èþ•þîû •%þöì¡y–
•þ‡lG •þyîûy !löìFSé Ù»y¤ xyôyîû ²ÌÙ»yöì¤
•þyîûy ö†þyíyëû xyöìSé– ö†þôl xyöìSé
ö†þyíyëû¥zéŸéîy ëyGëûyîû îûöìëûöìSé •þyöì˜îû– ~¥z¤î
!Kþy¤y †þóöìîû !löì•þ è%þöì¡ öˆSé •%þ!ô

!†þv– •þ•þÇþöì”– ‹þóöì¡ öˆöìSé •þyîûyƒƒƒ
!ôöì¢ öˆöìSé •þyîûy ¥yGëûyëûéŸé¥yGëûyëû
•þyöì˜îû¥z !èþ•þîû íy†þy !lîûy†þyîû ¢)öìlÄîû ôöì•þy
öë‡yl öíöì†þ •þyîûy ‡%„öì !löìëûöìSé þ›í–
!lÛ%þîû ~†þ!þ ’þz’þüylƒƒƒ

278

279

To the brim

Meghna Bhaskute

Kashi rises
Reads her phone
Scrolls through her
Likes and emojis
The door bell rings
The maid rushes in
Soft round rotis
With dry, spicy subzi

A scurried walk
Some hurried Yoga
Sun salutations
Back to back
Salad and dessert
Mandatory buttermilk
Tupperwear ready and
Lunch is packed!

A formal blouse
On a deodorant mist
Dainty ear studs
The watch stays behind
Water bottle
Headphone charger
Cellphone rings
Back to the grind

Crank up the AC
It’s a sauna in here!
Ugh! The pollution
Traffic’s a mess
Look at the GPS!
The route is red
Will I be late?
The first signs of stress!

Swipe you key card
Check phone & mail

280

The client is here English translation : Author himself
The day is packed
Cutting chai - just eight bucks
A ‘pick me up’ at the corner shack.

The day is gone
Drink up! Drink up!
Three liters - you must dear
Leaving already?
It’s too early!
Look up! Look up!
The manager’s here.

A bit of chitchat
A bit of work
A little gossip
Throw a white lie in
Cusswords under my breath
Boiling over
A little goodwill
And a lot of sin.

It’s dark outside
As Kashi leaves
Texting her fingers off
All the way
Hot meal ready
An unopened parcel
The TV spills over
On the rest of her day

Some ‘add to carts’
Some Netflix
The tired phone slips away
Lie down, think
Meditation?
Tomorrow!
This day was filled
To the brim.

281

†þylyëûéŸé†þylyëû

öô‰ly èþyß%ñöìþ

†þy¢# Göì‘þ
þ›óöì’þü ölëû öæþyl
¡y¥z†þ G ¥zöìôy! öîöìëû öîöìëû
G‘þy lyôy †þöìîû
öîöì Göì‘þ ‰!^ýþ ˜îûyëû
S%éöìþ xyöì¤ þ›!îû‹þy!îû†þy!þ
lîûô ¤%öìˆy¡ îû&!þ
¤yöìí •þîû†þy!îû韟ŸéÖ†þöìly– Vþy¡éŸéVþy¡

o&•þ þ›yöìëû ¥„yþy
o&•þ öëyˆy¤l
¤)ëŲ̔yô
~öì†þîû þ›îû ~†þ
¤Äy¡y’þ G !ô!ÜT
ôy‡léŸéö˜Gëûy ˜%™ !lëûôô•þl
²ÌÝ•þ !þ!æþlöì†þïöìþy– xyîû
èþóöìîû ölGëûy ô™Äy¥«öìèþylœ

!î!™îê ~†þ!þ îÏy’þz
¤yôylÄ ¤%ˆ¦þ#îû ‰Êy”
¤%˜,¢Ä †þyöìlîû ˜%¡
þ›óöì’þü îû¥z¡ ‰!’þü
öì¡îû öîy•þ¡
ö¥’þöìæþyl ‹þyÅyîû
öîöì Göì‘þ öæþyl
öæþîû !æþöìîû ëyGëûy
~!¤éŸé!þ îy’þüyöìly
öël ~†þ ߬ylœ
’þz/œ †þ# ˜)£ì”
þÆÄy!æþöì†þîû ‹þyþ›
!!þ›~¤ ˜Äyöì‡yœ
þ›í‡y!l ¡y¡
ö˜!îû ¥óöìëû ëyöìîÚ
!‹þhsýyîû !‹þ¥« ²Ìíôœ

‹þy¡yG †þ#éŸé†þy’þÅ
ö˜öì‡ lyG öæþyl G ¥zöìô¡

282

~öì¤öìSé @ýÌy¥†þ
îÄhßì•þy !˜lèþîû
~†þ †þyþ› ‹þyŸŸŸéxyþ þy†þy ‡y!¡
~†þöì†þyöì” Ö™% !þ›†þ!ô xyþ›Ð

!˜l ‹þóöì¡ öˆ¡
þ›yl †þöìîûyœ þ›yl †þóöìîû lyGœ
!•þl !¡þyîûŸŸŸéö¥ !²Ìëû– •%þ!ô !†þ
~¥zîyöìîû öî!îûöìëû ëyFSéÚ
~•þ •þy’þüy•þy!’þüœ
˜Äyöì‡yœ ˜Äyöì‡yœ
ôÄyöìlyîû ~öì¤öìSélÐ

~†þ !‹þ¡öì•þ †þíy
~†þ%þ‡y!l †þy
xÒ !†þS%é þ›îû‹þ‹þÅy
S%é„öì’þü ö˜Gëûy ¤öìæþ˜ V%þþ !†þS%é !†þS%é
ˆy¡yˆy¡ ~†þ !l/Ù»yöì¤
æ%þþöì•þ íyöì†þ
~†þ%þ þ›%”Ä– xyîû
xöìl†þ‡y!l þ›yþ›Ð

†þy¢# öîöìîûyëû ë‡l
îy¥zöìîû x„y™yîû
¤yîûyþ›í
!¡‡öìSé öôö줍
÷•þ!îû ˆîûô ‡yîyîû
lyéŸéö‡y¡y þ›yöì¤Å¡
•þyîû îy!†þ ¤yîûy!˜öìl
Sé!’þüöìëû íyöì†þ !þ!èþ

!†þS%é xÄy’þ %þ †þyþŤ
!†þS%é ölþ!æÏþ:
‰%!ôöìëû þ›öì’þü †Ïþyhsý öæþyl
Ööìëû Ööìëû èþyöìî
ôl/¤‚öìëyˆÚ
†þy¡ ¥öìîœ
xyöì†þîû !˜lþy
èþîûy !Sé¡ †þylyëûéŸé†þylyëûÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ ö¤y¥ô ‹þe«î•þÅ#

283

284

Wah! Taj

Ignatius Dias

I have never heard
Zakir’s singing fingers
and yet in my mind Wah! Taj bubbles and brews
There in my head
in place of digits drumming on the tabla
cups brim
with sloshing tea
I search for the meaning of Zakir’s freshness
in the words- Wah! Taj
and I am depressed
These words are not the strokes on the tabla
and yet in my mind Zakir keeps repeating Wah! Taj
instead of dha dhin dhin dha…

English Translation : Mustansir Dalvi

îy¥ •þy

¥zˆl!¢ëûy¤ !˜ëûy¤

xy!ô Ölöì•þ þ›y¥z!l ß¿,!•þöì•þG y!†þöìîûîû •þî¡yîû öîy¡Ð
•þî¡yîû öîyöì¡îû ö†þyl ˆy!”!•þ†þ ¤‚‡Äy îy ™yEþy lëû
ß¿,!•þöì•þ ˜,“þü ¥!FSé¡ •þy îy ‹þyöìëûîû †þyþ›Ð
y!†þöìîûîû ¤öì•þ•þy ôyöìl •þyîû öîy¡ lëû–
òîy¥ •þyó ¢·=!¡Ð xyôyöì†þ ësf”y !˜öìëû
!¢Ò#îû x!hßìc ôyöìl öîy¡ lëû Äyhsý ¥öìëû ’þz‘þ!Sé¡ òîy¥ •þyóÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

285

x¤ô#ëûy èþy£ìy
Assamese Language

287

For Gerda, my little angel

Bijoy Sankar Barman

I am still there
somewhere
beyond the sacred hill of Palukula
once we climbed together

An anthill of memory
still persists
upon the sleeping shadow
of that spruce grove

I must be there
following your starry steps again

chewing those tender needles
of an endless day

English translation : Author himself

öSéyþ ö˜î˜)•þ öˆ˜Åyîû lÄ îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

!îëû ¢Bþîû îôÅ”

þ›y¡%†%þ¡y lyô†þ öë þ›y¥yöì’þü
xyôîûy ‹þöì’þü!Sé¡yô
xy!ô– ö¤‡yöìl¥z îûöìëû öˆ!Sé xyöìy

ß¿,!•þîû îÍÃ#†þ xyöìy !ßiîû
‰%ôhsý Séyëûyîû ôöì•þy ¤yyöìly îyˆyöìl

xy!ô ëyî ö¤‡yöìl
ö•þyôyîû lÇþe þ›˜öìÇþöìþ›îû xl%¤îûöì”
x!îîû•þ !˜öìlîû lîûô ¤)‹þy@ýÌ ô%öì‡ öîûöì‡

288

289

290

Shangri-La

Sameer Shankar Dutta

Of thirst and parching in this journey
When the Sun vanishes
The Moon leaves company too

Only by the light of the eyes this nightly journey
The call of the flute too hideous,greedy

Not the golden deer!
Not the golden deer!!

I hunt down myself
‘The bright golden of mine’
Starving in my belly
Grieving in my heart
And immaculate rage in the taut string of a bow

And no sleep in my eyes!
And no sleep in my eyes!!

This night of sleeplessness
Wandering of that same old blur
That same old edding maelstrom

Of endless sounds shifting away in a rush
A perimeter I cross
Press down burning pebbles with my heel
And tread,heavy treads,stright,precise.
I lose something in the sand
‘Fire’ is a word too easy.
The burning too intense
Cinder I donot wish to be
Fire I donot wish to be

A golden thread of faith
A few words of hope
Entering a green bundle of cloth
Have entwined me

291

Let my deerhunt end with this moment
Let the bowstring snap
Let ‘Lo Tsen’s piano start singing
I embrace myself tenderly
O’ dome of the ancient monastery
I am a three cornered flag
Were me upon you,were me upon you
In flaps with the mountain wind
I shall lie conversing forever.

English Translation : Dr. Rajashree Borgohain

292

¤y‚!@ýÌ¡y îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

¤ô#îû ¢Bþîû ˜_

x˜,¢Ä ¤)ëÅ– öSéöì’þü ëyGëûy ‹þ„yöì˜
~ ëyeyîû •,þ£y韟阥lÐ
~ îûyöì•þ ¤Áº¡ ˜,!ÜT xyîû
x˜ôÄ ö¡yèþl#ëû î„y!¢îû ¢·

ö¤ylyîû ¥!îû” lëûœ
lëû ö¤ylyîû ¥!îû”œœ

!löìöì†þ¥z !¢†þyîû †þîû!Sé¡yô
ö¤yly¡# xy!ôþyöì†þ
Ç%þ™y•þÅ xy!ôþyöì†þ– ö¢y†þy•þÅ xy!ôþyöì†þ
!‘þ†þ öël ™l%öì†þîû Äyöì•þ îûy‡y þ›!îû!ô•þ öe«y™

ö‹þyöì‡ ‰%ô öl¥zœ
‰%ô öl¥z ö‹þyö쇜

‰%ô¥#l îûyöì•þ xß›ÜT ö¤¥z þ›%öìîûyöìly ¼ô”
ö¤¥z ™ç‚¤yd†þ Vþ’þü– o&•þ ¤öìîû ëyGëûy
x¤ôy® ¢· xyîû xy!ô
μ¡hsý þ›yíîû þ›yöìëû ôy!’þüöìëû þ›yîû †þîû!Sé¡yô þ›!îû!™Ð
ö¤yy– èþyîû#þþ›˜¢öì· ¥yîûy!FSé¡yô !†þS%é îy!¡öì•þ
òxy=ló îöì’þüy ö¤yy
!†þv μ¡l •þ#îÊ
èþß¿ ö¢yöìly xy!ô †þ‡öìly xy=l ¥öì•þ ‹þy¥z!lÐ

!îÙ»yöì¤îû ö¤¥z ö¤yly¡# ¤%öì•þy
xy¢yîû †þ!•þþ›ëû ¢·—
xyôyöì†þ !‰öìîû íy†þy ö¤¥z ¤î% †þyþ›’þü
xyôyîû !¢†þyîû ~‡yöìl¥z ö¢£ì ö¥y†þ
™l%†þ ly!ôöìëû Öîû& ö¥y†þ ö¡y ö¢Äöìlîû !þ›ëûyöìly
xy!ô– !löìöì†þ ô,˜% xy!¡Dl †þîûöìîyÐ
þ›%öìîûyöìly ôly!ÜTÉîû ö’þyöìôîû
xy!ô !•þlöì†þyly þ›•þy†þy
xyôyîû Gþ›îû •%þ!ô !†þ‚îy ö•þyôyîû Gþ›îû xy!ô
þ›y¥y’þü# îy•þyöì¤ xy!ô !‹þîû†þyöì¡îû !ôöìíÄ îöì¡ ‹þ!¡Ð

293

294

Tea-pressure

Kushal Dutta

Some pain is said to be necessary ingredient to be mixed
Else the actual taste of the cup of tea is lost

From the surface of the hot cup
The fading spirals of smoke swirls up
And relives the pace of history lying in coitus in memory

Layers after layers of fresh leaves flutter to dry
Reality of history and blood pressure of illusion of dream
In count and without they always grow together

At the moment
Dried pain and juicy tea gets mingled together
The rows of fresh leaves flutter once more in beckoning

English Translation : Bibekananda Choudhury

‹þyéŸé‹þyþ›

†%þ¢¡ ˜_

ö†þyl ö†þyl îÄyíy öëöì†þyl !†þS%éîû xþ›!îû¥yëÅ ’þzþ›y˜yl
‹þyéŸéîû ¤öìD xlÄ !†þS%é öô¢yöì¡ •þyîû ߺy˜ î˜öì¡ ëyëû ö¤¥zôöì•þyÐ
ˆîûô ‹þyöìëûîû †þyöìþ›îû öíöì†þ ¥y!îûöìëû ëyGëûy ’þz’þühsý ö™„yëûy
’þzöìßñ ö˜ëû ß¿,!•þîû ¥z!•þ¥y¤öì†þÐ
þ›y•þyîû þ›îû þ›y•þyîû hßìöìîûîûy e«öìô ™%¤îû•þy þ›yëû
¥z!•þ¥yöì¤îû îyhßìî•þy– ߺ²ÀŸŸé¼öìôîû îû_«‹þyþ›
~†þ îy þ›,í†þ ¥öìëûG •þyîûy öîöì’þü Göì‘þÐ
!‘þ†þ ë‡l Ö†þöìly ësf”y G lîûô •þîû¡ ‹þy
!ôöì¢ ëyëû– l•%þl þ›y•þyîûy öæþîû ¥z¢yîûy †þöìîûÐ

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

295

296

Offshoot English translation : Author himself

Anubhav Tulasi

Offshoot of this soil
my waddling is all earthy

So I became one
you cherish

The legend called Jyoti
of Tamolbari tea estate
flora and fauna of
the Dibru-Choikhowa
rivers Dehing and Desang

Paramount priorities
in your list of fascinations

In Sudden’s wheel
time changes rapidly

The wonder pillars
of ancient Greece
the Colosseum
marvel of ancient Rome
pictures seen never before

Became your hot favourite
names of airports heard unheard
beaches of unknown seas

I was flabbergasted
To say or not to
I spoke out
in plain words

To me still remain
Latin and Greek
equally obscure

297

²Ì¢y‡y

xl%èþî •%þ¡¤#

ôy!þîû ²Ì¢y‡y
xyôyîû ˆôlG ôy!þîû

xy!ô ö•þyôyîû¥z ¡y!¡•þ

•þyöìôy¡îy!’þü ‹þy îyˆyöìlîû
!†þ‚î˜hsý# lyô öÄy!•þ–
ö˜!¥‚韟Ÿéö˜¤y‚ l˜#îû !’þîÊ& ö‹þïöì‡yëûyîû
öæÏþyîûyéŸéæþly
ö•þyôyîû ô%?þ•þyîû •þy!¡†þyëû ~îû =îû&c ¤îōl#l

¤ôëû yëû o&•þ
²Ìy‹þ#l @ýÌ#öì¤îû xþ›)îÅ ßiyþ›•þÄ
†þöì¡y!¤ëûyô– ²Ìy‹þ#l öîûyô
~¤î¥z þ›)öìîÅ ö˜‡y lëû ~ôl ˜,¢Ä
ö•þyôyîû !²Ìëû ~‡l ö¤¤î
xyîû xylyéŸéyly ~†þy!™†þ
!îôylî¨îûéŸé ¤ô%o÷줆þ•þÐ

~‡l xyôyîû †þyöìSé xß›ÜT
¡Äy!þl G @ýÌ#†þ èþy£ìy
hßì!½þ•þ– xy!ô y!l ly
~¤î ¢öì· ²Ì†þy¢ †þîûy ëyî !†þly

îy‚¡y xl%îy˜ öôï!ô•þy þ›y¡

298