AGAIN, SUNSET

by Bijayalakshmi Parida
translated from Odia by Bibhu Padhi and Minakshi Padhi

 

 

If you need it,
Let us bind ourselves
With friendship.

We shall keep with us
The moon-night,
The garland of bakula blossoms,
The desert island,
A few night-blinded stars.

Listen, here
Not all the travellers
Are intelligent, discerning.

Those who have seen
The ruined rice fields,
The broken pitcher
And torn blouse,
And yet say nothing has happened,
What is fear to them?

What for all these thoughts?
Come a little closer;
See, in my body
The heat of popped-up, fried paddy.

The river is inundating
The land. If you
Open the boat now,
You will never be seen.

 

 

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