Hassanal Abdullah


SWARMING DARKNESS


Bare chests are soaked in swarming darkness,
freezing time now rushes to choke our throats;
tying its feet with a rope, the universe aimlessly
fancied to put a halt on its endless journey.

The clock’s arms are smashed in our hateful hands,
human skulls minced like a jasmine crushed under feet
our frantic fate is targeted by the missiles
a scarcity cursed us through Great Disasters.

Just a few people, calling planet earth by its name
using vulgarity; they have passed their usual time,
though they are the ones with fortunate big feasts,
the rest of the people lived as the most ill-fated paupers.

In the vast space, staying just like a grain of sand, 
maybe smaller than that, with respect to relative mass,
this chaotic planet is nothing but a piece of rubbish,
but the darkness seized its tiny lips too.

Translated from the Bengali by Ekok Soubir



I WAIT FOR SOMETHING BETTER


I wait for something better.
A better start of the day, 
a better evening,
I wait for a better song,
birds feather,
a better piece of poetry,
I wait for a better breaking news.

I wait for something better.
A better afternoon, 
a luminous face,
better words, sunny sky,
I wait for reading a better book.

I wait for something better.
A better stream, a better boat,
cheerful offspring, 
a roomful of guests,
I wait for a better friendship.

I wait for something better.
A better house, an open balcony,
fresh breeze, lots of flowers,
a better land of green,
a better harvest,
I wait for a better life. 

Translated from the Bengali by the poet



YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND A RIVER


Even rivers sometimes have to say no;	
after allowing a leaf toa
sail on its bosom for a long while
it illogically lets it sink. 

I, who have been listening to
the river’s voice, am sometimes
rebuffed by the streams,
sudden unintelligibility.
What had I been asking from it,
why did it say no?

I, however, have never stopped
talking to my river. 


Translated from the Bengali by Jyotirmoy Datta

New York

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