Krishna-Radha | Saidqul Islam

Such a rich assemblage of hair on my two arms,
The hide and seek of the moon, as though your face.
What a concealed thrill.
Your body is a flowing stream
Where the waves rise and sink.

I am Krishna.
Why is my flute so quiet?
I only sink in the waves of water
Where there is a frantic melody.

Who is Krishna and who is Radha
The question is meaningless.
Krishna is not Krishna there
Neither Radha is Radha.
Radha is that flute
Where Krishna is immersed.

That thrilled moment is full of melodies.
Contented at the deafening ragas and raginis.
Concealed in the duets and solos.
Who is Radha and who is Krishna!
Krishna and Radha fused into oneness.
Fire burns in water
A red lotus lies awake in the fire.

Indian Review | Literature and Poetry | Author |

Sadiqul Islam: (b. 1969) Translates from Assamese into English. Some of his translations have appeared in ‘Indian Literature’ (Sahitya Akademi), ‘The Dhauli Review’, ‘The thumb Print’ and ‘Assam Information’.  His translation of Harekrishna Deka’s poems will be published shortly as a collection. Presently Associate Professor of English in Moirabari College, Morigaon, Assam.

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Harekrishna Deka, (b. 1943) Eminent Assamese poet, fiction writer, critic, editor, and the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award (1987), Katha Award (1996), Assam Valley Literary Award (2010) and Padmanath Bidyabinod Award (2015); has nine collections of poems, six volumes of short stories, five books of literary criticism, two novels, two edited books, two books of social criticism and one collection of translated poems to his credit; has served as the editor of the English daily ‘The Sentinel’ and the Assamese literary magazine ‘Goriyoshi’. Starting his professional career as a college teacher, he has served as the Director General of Police and a member of the National Security Advisory Board.