Shillong – March 7, 2006

The mist-coated clouds floated as a river
Upon the bosoms of hills
From the long lines of pines
The winds drifted in
The cicadas’ sound quivered
My outers and inners, body and mind

What thoughts were swinging in your eyes
As you sat upon Shillong Peak
I’d the urge to fetch for you
A plume plucked from the moon

In the bustling eve of Police Bazar
While engrossed in our heart-to heart chats
The winding road of Shillong
Skipped out of our minds

With your face thrust into my bosom
You sought your solace over and over again

Ever since our acquaintance
I’ve been haunted by an unease
Someday somewhere we’d lose ourselves
Wherefrom neither you nor I can return
Fail to behold the world intently
Where our entities wouldn’t remain

How we yearn to present
An identity of our own

Day after day
Night after night
We’d been ever on the wait
For a night at Shillong

There was nothing
To get you acquainted with
As a quivering of the pine
I remained quivering in my musings

 


Indian Review | Translator Profile |Krishna Dulal Barua has been consistently translating poems, short- stories and literary articles from Assamese to English. His ‘Selected poems of Nilmani Phookan’ published by the Sahitya Akademi appeared in 2007.He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.

Author : Ajit Bharali 

Ajit Bharali writes poetry as well as fiction, non-fictional prose , and has published several collections of his works including – Pota Pukhuri (2009,Poetry), Toke Dim Gote Korai(2001), Loka Sanskrit aru Bharatiya Sahitya(2003, non-fictional prose),Simalu kol Pakise (2004), Tora(novel) and Sukurbariya Bozar (2009,Non-fictional prose).He teaches Assamese at A.D.P College, Nagaon.

Translator : Krishna Dulal Barua 

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