Translated from Assamese by Dr. Shyamolima Saikia

Dream

At the death of many a dream
Is created a sole dream
At the grave of the dreams of many,
The dream of one privileged comes to reality

With the death of a forest,
At the grave of umpteen creepers and trees
Is built somebody’s city of dreams

Upon the death of the dreams of a multitude of soldiers
The dream of a conqueror gets realized,
After having crushed the dreams of the ruled
The dream of a ruler is actualized

In the way the Taj was built
At the altar of dreams of a hundred labourers
To make way for the dream of Shah Jahan

It is at the death of many dreams
That a privileged dream
Of one ‘privileged’ fructifies.

*A translation of the Assamese poem ‘Xopun’ by Dr. Sabyasachi Mahanta published on 4 July, 2021

A Verdant Desire

There resides in my heart this day
A green tapestry of love,
Tearing the veil of silence
Myriad and many a rumination
Wishes to be effusive,
With a wreathe sewn out of words
Verses do I pen down
With a deep yearning

In poetry itself, incarnates
The unseen contour of my dream
From poetry emanates a soulful journey
Piercing the darkness of life
In poetry is manifested
a meditation of Eklavya as it were
To conquer life, to beautify life
And thence chants
an endless ballad of an untainted heart.

*A translation of the Assamese poem ‘Seuj Kamona’ by Dr. Sabyasachi Mahanta published on 9 July, 2021

Autumnal Fragrance

On the dew-laden carpet of grass
At the heed of fallen sewali,
Piercing though the veil of mist
Arrives autumn

In an autumnal longing
At the of dawn of an yearning
In the chirping of a free bird
Is found an impenetrable tranquility

Autumn itself is elegant beauty
Autumn is incredible sweetness
Autumn is the sculpture of hope
At the cradle of exquisite nature

In the bosom of gentle autumn
Life is thus embraced,
While the green of the fields
Harbingers creation

*A translation of the Assamese poem ‘Surobhi Xorotor’ by Dr. Sabyasachi Mahanta published on 13 Oct, 2021

Yajnaseni Waits

Ripping apart Dushasana’s chest
Vrikodara shall fetch fervent blood
When shall this wait cease
Yagnaseni –
When are you going
To tie your hair,
unkempt and let loose?

*A translation of the Assamese poem ‘Opekhya Yagnasenir’ by Dr. Sabyasachi Mahanta published on May, 2023

Also, read “MYTHS OF THE NORTH— OLGA GLUSTIKOVA” TRANSLATED FROM THE SLOVAKIAN BY ZUZANA HABEK, MARTINA GRMANOVÁ, MARTIN ŽELEZNÍK and published in The Antonym: 

Myths of the North— Olga Glustikova

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