Virtual Bangladesh : Literature: Poetry : Sunil Gangopadhhoy

Unrequited Love...Poetry Company Ltd.
Translations by Zunaid Kazi

bartho prem

protiTi bartho premi AmAke notun awhonkAr dae
Ami mAnush hishebe iktu lombA hoe uThi
du:kho AmAr mAthAr chool theke pAer Angul porjonto
chorie jAe

Ami shomosto mAnusher theke AlAdA hoe ak
awcena rAstA die dheere pAe
he(n)Te jAi

sharthok mAnushder Aro chai mukh AmAr shojho hae na
Ami pather kukurke biskuT kine dei
rickshawAlA ke dei sigareT
andho mAnusher shAdA laThi AmAr pAer kAche
khoshe pare
AmAr du hAt bhorti aDhel daeA, AmAke keu
firie diechhe bole goTA duniATAke
mone hae khub Apon

Ami bAri theke berui notun kAcha
pyant shArT pore
AmAr shoddo dAri kAmano nawrom mukh-khAnike
Ami nijei Ador kori
khoob gopone

Ami akjon porichonno mAnush
AmAr shorbAnge kothau
ektuo moilA nei
ahonkArer protibha jyotribaloy hoe thAke AmAr
mAthAr pichone
Ar keu dekhuk ki nAi dekhuk
Ami Thik Ter pAi

obhimAn AmAr oshThe ene dae snigdho hAsh-sho
Ami amon bhAbe pA pheli jeno mATir bukeo
AghAt nA lAge
AmAr to kAruke du:kho debAr kothA nei

Unrequited Love

Each urequited love fills me with new pride
I stand taller as a man
Pain permeates every cell of my body
Away from humanity
I walk in slow steps
An unknown road

I cannot stand the sight of a succesful man
I buy morsels for a street mongrel
Cigarettes for a rickshaw puller
A blind man's cane
Falls at my feet
I am imbued with infinite generousity
I feel closer to the world
For having been turned away

I leave my home
In freshly laundered garb
My clean shaven face
I myself caress
In secret

I am a clean man
My body is free of
Even an iota of dirt

The inspiration of envy shines as an halo
Around my head
I see it
Even if no one else does

Dejection brings a subtle smile to my lips
I step carefully
So as not to strike the ground
I am not to cause anyone pain

Poetry Company Private Limited

We create poetry here
All sorts of poetry
Political poetry, social poetry
Spiritual poetry, corporeal poetry
Urban poetry, rustic poetry
Romantic poetry, physical poetry
Poetry of dreams, poetry of realities
Forties poetry, fifties poetry
Sixties poetry, seventies poetry
We are even planning to release eighties poetry soon
Hands, legs, heads, shoulders
Hair, nails, fingers, toes
of poetry
We have them all with us
Domestic and foreign metaphors and similes
Words, rhymes, and metres
We have them in stock by the millions
Of course hundreds of poetry companies have
Started up like mushrooms. But
You definitely know
Our company has already made a name for itself
And can one earn fame by shirking?
Right?
Yes, the poetry that you ordered is almost ready
It turned out very nicely
Just the finishing touch left
Please sit, have some tea
We ran out of a few parts for the poetry
I will send Latif right now to the
Neighbouring factory to get them