Through the heart of Kundil

Through the heart of Kundil town* (flows)
the blue river of the night
all agog with ripples

Along the blue waves
the boat drifts
all agog

Scattered on the waves
are thousand moons
all excited

The cassia gold of woods
the blue sky
the moonlight wih jingling anklets

Red Adam
and reddish Eve
the silent stars here and there

At whose lap does the river leave
the nocturnal Kundil town
coiling by it

No onlookers at a distance
nobody has seen
the yellow flowers of grass

Adam is hungry
Eve is thirsty
the moon pours down nectar

Adam is red in hunger
Eve is reddish in thirst
the earth floats upward
the sky has thickened

The river of moonlight night
is all agog
there is land under the currents.

[*‘Rowing in an ancient night of Kundilnagar’
— an oil painting by Samiran Boruah.]

             [ Translated by Tabu Taid ]

Carry me on to the forest

Carry me on to the forest whose face is
aglow in light.

I put down golden words
in the raptness of lovely green
with pure conviction I see the reflection of every
standing tree on wild streams

Carry me on to the forest with a
moonlight-rinsed face, to the cootage of peace
where every moment is enriched by sweet
chirping of birds
I place the footprints of murderous men
on every humble tree

Carry me on to the depth of dense forests
I plant one tall tree of love-laden heart
on the flowing breast of every travelling river
I tear off fruitless human blandishings

Carry me on to the eternal free forest,
to the erect trees growing in a slope
I look for pollens of every season in
every tree which donot know how to stoop down
I sculpture on every tree symbols of
futile human pride

Carry me on.

             [ Translated by Pradip Khataniyar ]

Evening bells

Evening bells toll in the temple
Birds flatter their wings
the merchant sails off by a distant river

A child weeps
graveyards become cool in the breeze
crown of light falls down in darkness

On the palm sorrowful days clot
the sky breaks down through
the roof of dream

Domestic past settles down on
eyelids at regular intervals of night
fishes move up
in silent watery green

There is the hum of raga gandhara
in darkness
time takes root through the river current
the silent tree of breast revives

Flowing river, yellow waves
water builds up the banks
the lost boat of
hunger, conflict and hesitation
floats in.

             [ Translated by Pradip Khataniyar ]

An evening meal

An evening meal
of roasted potatoes and tea

Green and yellow and blue smile
joining together they have
reached the sky

On each hand a sunflower
A stern hour on the face
A piercing love on the eyes
It has sucked up drop by drop
the stunningly beautiful night

             [ Translated by Pradip Khataniyar ]