Sunil Kumar Nandi

These dark shadows eager
to save the world flick away
that burning of the senses so pure---
and every day
bend closer like the mountain.
All those wise men everywhere
their talents aglow,
take cover of light easily; with their
skill of panegyric
they suck the bone dry from this country. Today
at the hilt of intoxication
who will restrain whom, the delirious night
dances in the blood.
A strange farce this--- the seven stars shimmer---
you exist if you acquiesce,
else you leap into void.

For this then one day--- to touch the distant blue,
birds had spread wings in the tidal wind!
For this then one day---in this land’s
every artery so much blood had shed
(as when shimul, palash pitched battles fight)!

Glossary:
Seven Stars -- Stars of the Grat Bear
Shimul and Palash are trees with blood-red blossoms.

Published May 5, 2002

Translated by Nandini Gupta [nandinI gupta*] - Nandini Gupta is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands, working on ... (more)

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