Poems by Rahul Dasgupta 

Art
 
There is no art in full defeat
 
One riddle there is,
Since old time
Why do people write,
Do you want to know?
 
There is no art in full defeat
 
People write for a cause
They want to write the pain
Without understanding
The pain of others
 
There is no art in full defeat
 
People perceive that,
The incomprehensible pains
Wish to be
Adorned with weapons.
 

​
Accused
 
Building the palace of vacuum
The young beggar is seated
Pretending to be the king
 
All the friends laugh
They sputter, hurl abuses
Make accusations
 
Before the real King,
Stands the king’s envoy
To figure out the real truth
 
They hunt out
The alms-bag
And became amazed
 
There is the palace inside the alms-bag
Where the King resides
And resides inside the king’s heart
 
None other than the young beggar
He sits in solitude
And generously giving out
 
The hard-earned grains of alms
The golden grains of alms
To his friends.

Translated by Sutapa Mukhopadhyay and Upasana Dasgupta

Rahul Dasgupta is a poet of nineties. His published book of poems include ‘Shiramukh khule geche khote’, ‘ Ek Abiram Swikarokti’, ‘ Prathonar sporshe Eka’, and ‘Aynar bhetor pendulum’ etc. He has received awards like Krittibas Award (2017), Kabipatra Award (2018), and ‘A young essayist award’ from Little Magazine and research centre. 

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About the translators

Sutapa Mukhopadhyay, a professor, has various book of poems which include ‘ Sandhyatara, Teishe January and Kabitasamagra.
 
Upasana Dasgupta is a young writer and author of ‘The adventure of Shantinagar’, and a fantasy narrative ‘The trip to Maya Valley’. She has also written two collections of prose and poetry titled ‘The Giant Wheel and Other Writings’, and ‘'Life in Snow land and Other Writings'. Her recent book of poems is 'That City of the Disabled and Other poems'.  

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