Writing into blankness

I wish I could send

you a blank paper

without a drop of ink

and you could interpret
instantly, my feelings.

O words

I'm guilty

of molesting you

I have sheltered you,

never lived with you;
in all the fibs and fables
you were the untouchables.

For I have always hidden some words
never allowed them to surface
lest they brutally undress
me, my world
I try now to write on your mind

without the fluid
most of the times
they’d be shy and would cower
at other times
they’d remain as it were
pure, with power.

I now wipe with care the liquid

from those tearing leaves

transcend the innocent thought

that doesn't block, doesn’t blot

but which in me blankly lives.

My home

My home
has become unbearable
words, full of words
lifeless words
they don’t carry any feeling
or have I become too old
that I should leave
and rebuild my own.

Since when did my abode
become so cold
no room for togetherness
no space for friendship
housing jealousy, hatred
competition, in a jungle of gadgets
mindless hands and feet have frozen
all organs lazy, slumber
in figures and numbers
counting days.

Words, words, only words
no warmth
travelling inside the mind
like worms
plastic wings of nightingales
agonizing odor of flowers
roses and blue pimpernels
in tired, tried and tied-up gardens
that yearn to be lost in the forests.

Artificial has the most troubling start
it’s ‘art’ with which the world
is losing its heart
unable to breathe, rest or roam.

Yet with hope,
we built this home
to live
it is hard to believe
from whose confines
now, I wish to leave.

Aimless

Running on my track
of life, I cannot relax
looking left and right
without mercy and grace
I can hardly lose sight
have to anyhow win the game.

To be first in the race

is my only aim

eyeing others, a self-defeating trait

prevents one from thinking, looking straight
I lose and blame my own performance.

Out of sight

It's strange we cannot see

our inside hides from glare

though helping us sound and square
enabling us to survive and be.

Organs singing without pause

without any apparent cause;
pumping in the green room
making us up, letting us groom.

The one gift it requires

to build the body, is air

perpetually beyond sight

yet present everywhere

day and night.

Way to go

As long as there’s sunshine
the star rising, setting on sides
as long as there’s blood and air
running into the veins, energizing my organs
I will not succumb to the liar
let the goon come with its guns.

As long as there’s moon in the sky
its light touching my eyes
as long as there’s hope in the heart
healing me, asking to restart
my body will not yield
and abandon the field.

As long as rainbow has its hues
dawn delivers dews
as long as horizons lie on the planes
clouds kiss the mighty mountains
waves emerge from the bed of the seas
my seat will not stop, it’ll continue to beat.

Would never leave the stage
but fight with the Sage
whatever be my age.
I’d live every breath
from nature derive strength
to wrestle with my death.

In the middle of kindness

In the middle of kindness
don’t know how
I became homeless
what I see now
is suddenly so ruthless.

O mom, your spouse
not my father anymore
O papa, in your house
I see another lady galore.

I don’t believe
how long it is taking me
to accept you have one life to live
as far as I can see
you are so gentle and kind
to regard me still as your child.

Old style

I am a mediocre writer
going round and round
my lines imperfect sing
determined to bring
the sky to the ground
the air to feel a lot lighter.

I am a mediocre writer
talking to the stars
my lines not so deft tell
stories of heaven, not hell
in the middle of worrying wars
that made the stage so somber.

I am a mediocre writer
floating light and sound
yet the lines do not catch
the eyes of the unmatched
a bard judged old, unbound
with improper sense of humor.

I am a mediocre writer
going round and round
I still whistle and whisper
about peace our true nature
my thoughts will heal, not hound
the hearts of my readers.

Made for each other

Days and nights
so separate
yet desperately together;
Clouds and waves
so separate
yet are in it together.

Success and failure
winning and losing
so visibly different
yet are knit together;
Life and death
so separate
yet desperately together.

Journey and destination
different
but made for each other.

fine

i am not fine
i am fine with it


je ne me sens pas bien
je me sens bien avec cela

Body-buddy

Your body your buddy

a true friend

the only throne

you can call your own

what you think and eat

will make the seat

truly a safe haven.

Body, not a burden

Lift your spirit

Up in the air
through your body,
hey there

For you, it’s always ready
it's a gift

a golden garden,

a starry heaven

not a burden.

Body-treasure

Your body

greatest wealth

priceless treasure

love is the strength

that heals your health

beyond measure

while jealousy and anger

weaken it slow and steady.

healing

my body
not a garbage
but
a garden

elusive

just a while ago

I thought
I let old memories go
but they've again conquered
my space, my body, my ego
overcast the presence
of my elusive consciousness

horizon

horizon teaches me

what lies before my eyes
may not be what I see

unwilling

we're great learners

as though we know now
how to survive
without weapons

here to stay

don't worry

mobiles and other gadgets
will be outdated soon
what'll never be antiquated
are weapons and arms of intolerance

hide and seek

don't hide behind

your not-so-true image
a smiling camouflage
gather the courage
seek
what lies
weeps inside

arms

intolerance is the only arm

that severs
the arms of acceptance

white waters

clouds and waves

travel
from the canvas
to my mind
white waters
whisper whistle
wash wither
I wonder if I could ever
capture their sound
or just let them be
without the sky and the sea

myself

I'm so consumed by others

I don't have appetite for myself

outside is overwhelming
I know
inside
I hardly know

beyond

beyond power, pelf, position
when will I look at myself

Vague

Vague!

The world is vague.
Made of plastic or glass;
Pieces pierce.
We’re perpetually in the blue
hanging like clouds or waves
torn apart through moments
beyond our ken
alas!

The body is pulling us down.
Whose body? Mine!
I somehow realise that
this owner I wants to move up.
Yet it settles down with
the corpse.

The world, the real world
which is not like the waves,
neither it is like the clouds…
it struggles in the gap
the I and the frame
the light and the carcass
the permanent and the transient
poles apart, poles apart.

Things are falling apart
the hollow inside
finds its place
in every Self
doesn’t know how to heal;
to the intelligent heart, the simple ways
never ever appeal
the worlds therefore
damned on the stage
with stories and folklore
they vagabond in vagueness.

She’s a global girl

She is a global girl

You bet I like her a lot
She's a polyglot
A team player,
A precious pearl.

She's a royal girl
With a bit of a curl
In and out of home
She works day and night
She smiles ever so right
Without any air or syndrome.
Not because she's hot
She's bright, bravura, an erudite
So I like her a lot.

I like her out and out
I take a bow
She is the provider at home
At work, an expert, knows how
To balance her worlds
As she moves off and on
From Mumbai to Rome.
Her roads are tough, yet open and wide
She’s busy, but easy, she is my pride.
To subdue her, people make a plot
She overcomes it all with stride
Oh I like her a lot.

You see this leader of a girl in every field
With her grit and her indefatigable spirit
She fights it out, but never yields.
Her style is stunning
With eyes and ears open
She’s ever learning;
Twenty-four by seven
Her rocking journey is always on
She's down at times,
never weak, forlorn.
Chin up, head high,
She’s tad up and about.
Not because of her pout
But because of her pure thought
Angel girl, I like her a lot.

She's a global girl
With a bit of a curl
A winning smile
Her unique style
A polyglot, a team player
Way to go
Yes I know I know
She's seen everywhere
forever on the spot
Angel girl, leader girl, royal girl
Oh I like her a lot.

আমার থেকে তোমার পাওনা ছিল সূর্য

 Originally written in French by Denis EMORINE

À Laetita Valarcher

Je te dois le soleil

Je te dois le soleil
qui vient effleurer notre main

lorsque nous nous aimons.

À tes pieds

mon ombre essaie une fois encore

de piétiner la mort

je n'ai pas de sagesse à t'offrir

je ne saurais pas vivre après toi

je le confesse

en refermant la porte du cimetière

où reposent mes nuits sans sommeil

La nuit ne finira jamais

dans un coin de ma tête

Je t'aime voilà tout

même si je voudrais savoir mieux le dire

*

Translated in English by the author

I owe you the sun

To Laetitia Valarcher

I owe you the sun

which washes anew our hands

when we love each other

At your feet

my shadow tries to tread on death

one more time

I have no wisdom to give to you

I confess

I couldn't live without you

closing the door of the cemetery

where my insomnia  has a rest.

The night will never end in my head

I love you that's all

even if I'd like to say it better

Bengali translation by Supratik Sen

আমার থেকে তোমার পাওনা ছিল সূর্য

                                  ল্যাতেসিয়া ভালার্চেরকে

আমার থেকে তোমার পাওনা ছিল সূর্য

যার তেজ আমাদের হাত আলোকিত

করে রাখতো

যখন আমরা দুর্নিবার প্রেম করতাম।

তোমার পায়ের তলায়

আরেকবার আমার ছায়া চেষ্টা করেছিল

মৃত্যুকে দলতে

এ কথা বলার সাহস আমার ছিল না

আমি জানতাম না কিভাবে তোমাকে ছাড়া

বাঁচতে হয়, আমি স্বীকার করছি

পুনরায় কবরের দরজা বন্ধ করেই

যেখানে বিশ্রাম করছে আমার নিদ্রাহীন রাত্রি।

মনের কোনে আমার কালরাত্রীর চিরন্তন বসবাস

আমার জীবনের সার কথা হলো

আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি 

যদিও তা কি করে আরো ভালো ভাবে বলতে হয়

তা জানার চেষ্টা আজও করে চলেছি।

প্রতিধ্বনি

হে সমুদ্র

হে স্নিগ্ধ হে রুদ্র

হে চিরন্তন মহানন্দে নৃত্যরত

হে গভীর গম্ভীর, হে অনড় অটল

জলসম্পদে নিত্য টলমল।

তুমি কেন এতো বিশাল

হে আকাশের প্রতিধ্বনি?

বলতে পারো আমি কেন এতো ক্ষুদ্র 

এতো কেন দিন দরিদ্র?

আমাকে চোখ বুঝতেই হবে,

তাহলেই আমি অসীম হয়ে ভাসি

আমার নোনতা দিনতা
তোমার জলেতে হয় ম্লান

শুধু জল রাশি রাশি
রাশি রাশি জল

এরই মাঝে আমি পাই স্থান

কোনো খেই নেই, নেই কোনো স্থল।

এই নড়বড়ে সীমাহীন নীলে

করি প্রাণ ভোরে স্নান

আমার আস্থার, আমার অস্তিত্বের হয়

সহস্রগুণ প্রকাশ

চোখ খুলে দেখি মিথ্যা আকাশ

অন্যথা এক গুচ্ছ হাতছানি দেওয়া

মেঘ আর ঢেউ

তাদের সাথে আমার বিশাল বিরাট রূপ

ডানা মেলে উড়ছি. ফেনা হয়ে ভাসছি

ভিতরে অন্তরে,

নেই কোনো সংশয়

কোনো ক্লান্তি কোনো ভয়।

হে প্রতিবিম্ব

তুমি হও আরো বড়

আমি বিনা দ্বিধা সংকোচে

হই ক্ষুদ্রতর,

অপলক দেখতে দেখতে তোমায়

তোমারি বাতাসে আকাশে ভেসে

আমাকে তুমি গড়ে তোলো

তোমারি মতো সীমাহীন ধীর স্থির

তোমারি মতো বড়।