Poems by Atrayee Chakraborty
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Scriptures Say
She leaves behind an endless fragrance, pebbles and grain. I nibble through the fields, Lingering birdsong, the Ashabari raga gently pushes through -- "Ankhiya Laagi". Whose eyes are these? Whose hunger drifts through this body of grain? At my feet, the harvest hums Its love for the earth. She's left behind the heat of summer, The sharp cry of "Mother" soaked in sweat. "Mother, o mother" -- an exquisite ritual of womanhood, Children at her breast, Her way of farming. Neither the goddess, nor music dedicated to her Occupies the heart. In the forgotten harmonium’s reed, Who're thou, o worshipper, Longing for alms of grains Ready to fall at every misstep? With three open eyes, divine, I measure the rice, each gulp and a tale The dripping smell of cooked rice and gruel, And the hunger of children Echoing in every corner of this house… Tanmoy Having found you in this rivered life, I've forgotten the world. Now, on some Sunday, I think of betting on an old nag. Supping up the nectar from a flower-bud I would savour the shringar rasa of the Natyashastra-- The local train from Shantipur is late, for the sake of poetry. The station swells with people; my sari, damp. The mirror’s lipgloss, smudged. No more the allure of Sanskrit or its fallen kin, No desire to weave words, to tease or startle. A simple day suffices. Face to face with sun-washed water. Your dark eyes dance to another’s verse. I haven't sat near such twilight eyes in ages. You, an evening-man, across the corner table, Lost in a land of the ancient dialect. From a cheap café, the scent of burnt pork rises, Metaphors like clouds, a Calcutta tune. Carrying your seed, I've come this far, Drowned in envy. Sexuality, a mere hint now, sleep, a strange elegy… Translated by Basu Acharya |
Atrayee has completed her Masters in English Literature. She is a poet, columnist, and Odissi dancer. She is also a performer of Rabindra Sangeet and Indian classical vocal music.
About the translator
Basu Acharya is a social activist and author with a deep passion for translation, exploring diverse cultural narratives through his work. |
