To His Own Destination – ASIM SAHA

Slowly, came He to the edge of stairs

Still was echoing the praising words from the Muajjin

So quiet, calm the earth was never before

As if no peace prevailed on this earth so far.

Suddenly, with a big bang, at a great pace

Roared the Death,

And vibrated the earth at the sound

Lament and chaos, raised so high that

He couldn’t stay cool inside

Came out of the room, in sleeping gowns

Reached the edge of the stairs,

Favorite pipe still in hand,

Surprising rays on his eyes reflected, once,

But again slipped into the dark hole

A deep voice came through the air – “Who?”

Then in olive uniform

Few derailed soldiers with arms

Shouted, “That’s he.”

“That’s he, kill him!”

To his feet, a leaf flew down, as if apologizing

Putting aside the lock of his hair

Said He in deep tone, “What do you want?”

Suddenly an automatic gun shouted out

Fell down he in the pool of blood,

Spreading out the fanatic hatred, echoing, in the air

Leaving the body there

They left the spot at dawn.

Roar of the arms made the sleeping crows

Wake and break the silence of the sky.

Weeping of the chilly wind made the dawn heavy

In still body, before His eyes, came the small river to His memory

Where he jumped into the waiving water in his adolescence

And the soil of the banks cheered at this.

Today hiding face to her bosom he cried and became numb

Oh! (It seems,) lots of dreams to be fulfilled

Days of the youth, days with life

Gone away to the silence living behind the bars,

On the midway, a life, that even stopped embracing the death

To make a Tagore song immortal;

Those who wanted to stop the symphony of one Orpheus

Bloodshed is the ultimate destiny, declared they

Yet he raised his hands, forgave them too

Only the sons and the daughters of the soil

Stood astonished and still in the fields

Putting off the hats lamented they

Southern air flew away their lament

Over the vibrant yet frightened paddy;

Shook the soil of the homeland again

As happened ’71 with the brutal boot.

Lastly, the city where he passed his colourful energetic life

Bade him good bye for good

But the river where he played in youth,

And let her know that He would flow on and on

Up to the last end on the earth

That Modhumoti lamented, torn herself

She’s the only one to take him to her bosom

In deep love, with passion

Like an affectionate mother got her lost son back

Lamenting of millions like the murmur of the stream

Broke the silence of the soil of the river banks

On top of the wave, an independent homeland

With her beauty and serenity

Flows on to a destiny, to liberty;

And flooding the sides of Modhumoti in tears

Destiny took Him to His own destination.

Translated by: Fatema Zohra Haque