TRANSLATED FROM THE BENGALI BY JAYDEEP SARANGI

Poem no 1

We jump at them even knowing
The leaders drifting from the ideal
Labour leaders benefit out of
Interests amount of the labourers.
Dalit sympathizers rise
Exploiting the dalits
Still we trust ideals
Optimistic mind is hurt.

Labourers and dalits are remain static
Masters and dalits haters climb up
Steps of a ladder of success
We clap hands knowingly or unknowingly
It’s a hard time, time for the cheats and hypocrites
The middle class tolerates all crimes
Negotiate with some interests.

Why is to make furore for nothing
Exposing the crimes ?
“Let them eat well, Government will bear that.”
Alas Government! Who? “Where are they not found ?”,
the opportunists say. Alone, we talk to them wearing weary smiles.

Poem no 2

Leaving behind this water jungle
Jungle men-women
One river one forest way
A near one far away
Men sweating blood
Lying beaten all forefathers

Unfed sons
Their brothers and sisters
All relatives are with them

I shall leave four rivers five
Habitations

Poem no 3

River has gone as far away
I look at that line in the duty evening

Oh the sky! It’s so easy
To walk –to safeguard the way

So many years not visited the galaxy
Through dark nights and countless stars

Dark twinkling night is
Unable to bring the selves closer
Ohh evening! After the collected calls
Single bird’s voices do not affect

Yet I leave behind this river, this
Sky my ageless intimate evening.

Also, read WISŁAWA SZYMBORSKA AND THE ART OF ‘RYBKA’: AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAŁ RUSINEK, conducted by Anindita Mukherjee, and published in The Antonym.

Wisława Szymborska and the Art of ‘rybka’: An interview with Michał Rusinek — Anindita Mukherjee

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