NILADRI BHUSAN HARICHANDAN
THE LIGHT OF THE PRISON
Even darkness fears
To step into this prison.
But, whom to fear?
The sentry
or the sleepless prisoners?
The sound of the tired feet
Of the sentry
Lapses into the throb
Of the prisoners' hearts.
The iron-bars,
Trembling with human breath,
Terror-stricken,
Concede their defeat.
The dark shadows
Of the prison cells
Turn into a chiaroscuro
In the sharp emanation of light.
The earth under the sentry's feet
slips away.
The bird-of-light,
Flying out of the prisoner's heart
Watches from the sky
How the underground saplings
Break the rocks open
And lift up in speed
Towards light.
Translation :
Jibon Krishna Banerjee
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