By: Taslima Nasrin
Translated by: Kousik Adhikari

You look like that village
On whose sky no sun rises,
Only scarecrow clouds gather,
Even the moon hides
It’s burned face,
Trees naked like old pros-
No flower blossoms anywhere,
In the advent of spring
There’s no scentless marigold even.

Houses stay like stones
On the verge of damp field,
Stones circle cliffs,
Cliffs entangle sides of river,
No birds call anywhere,
Lying on shoulder of lame wind,
That only tears night,
One Takshak calls.

Cows with their teary eyes
Looking at the dead cats,
Men’s eyes waterless, afraid
The village looks exactly like you,
Like your eyes-
From where some absence
Larks at the deep of hearts.

*****

Note- Takshak is a bird like creature, widely celebrated in myths and legends.

*****

[Taslima Nasrin is noted Bangladeshi poet, novelist and feminist. The present poem is taken from her book ‘Jal Padya’.]