Elsewhere
a heart
for the first time beats
and stops.
Here
a teardrop
in mid-air
freezes.
Aborted rhythm
soundless
retreats.
But
A clock ticks
and stops
without a tock
next instant
a newborn heart
throbs and ceases
in turn
a teardrop
freezes
in mid-air.
Now,
Rhythm
opens its eyes
and blinks.
Tonight again these tiny quiet neem flowers Your breath is turning white Your entire body is turning white And a fragile white virgin night Is running around your first monsoon tresses So thick, noiseless—for whom are you waiting like…
Native Tongue All dreams near the one Doused in a sound peaceful slumber Danger greets the one who is Walking with fear and fret One who treads fearless Reaches his destiny without hassle One travelling lovingly can alone Build himself…
Eternal Doubt She calls me daily and asks me anew “do you love me?” Everyday as usual ‘yes I love you’ Is the answer What are you doing, had your lunch, why is your voice so weak—- Series of questions,…
O’ my endearing motherland O’ my enchanting motherland So euphonious So bounteous So near and dear a motherland O’ my euphonic voice The melodic voice of Asom No-where in the world You can ever find even if you scour through…
Kargarti kaakludio ne kachadayela karmo Sajjan Shahmrug and chhakta dharmo Uparvat dekhaav khilo uthyo ne ‘mushtaq’ khovaaee gaya loochhaaee gaya marmo. Our karmas lie crushed, as our whines beg on, the genteel are ostriches, religions belligerent.. ‘Mushtaq’ see the blossoming…
Khamoshiki divaar mein na dar na daricha hai kissay roshan us paar samundar ya baaghichaa hai…. The wall of silence has no door nor window who knows if there’s an ocean or a garden, on the other side…
The wooden door was always shut, the window blinds drawn. The sun streamed down on the orange bricks on the blue-tiled roof on the garden where wild things grew. We played many games in the tangled patch. And the house…
Were those your bangles I heard as you wiped your brow or were they the clinking of cowrie-shells as you put them in holes seven by seven? I thought I heard you laugh making an unexpected, clever move or was…
If wounds could speak I’d be rustling like an autumn tree. If hurts could swell up, I’d be wriggling under stones. As it is, I croon in my dreams to lighten the cacophony of life.
Who art thou, my beloved maid, With curling tresses leaning against The cloudless azure? Who art thou, the sentinel of the night, showing path Often with thy Lamp of stars to the weary travelers on their Homeward journey? Art thou…
For coming to our home at the time of this bihu, I shall not give you my address Come looking for me to the village ‘alupura’ Ask anyone carrying a pitcher my whereabouts You can also ask those naked boys…
On the day our sister left our home She left an unbearable emptiness there For she loved to sing alone A room of her own was built The sad resonance of her singing scattered in the room hurts us now…