Friday, September 3, 2010

POEMS OF MUHAMMAD SAMAD OF BANGLADESH



Confession

Muhammad Samad


In my blood the tender dawn
In my blood the restless cowboy
In my blood sandalwood fragrance
In my blood rock's life
In my blood the music of the stars
In my blood the rising sun

In my blood Krishna's flute
In my blood Radha's longing
In my blood the Urubela hamlet
In my blood Sujata's passionate desire

In my blood the pride of power
In my blood the evil of supremacy
In my blood the fire of anger
In my blood slander and jealousy
In my blood abominable vengeance

In my blood homosexual urge
In my blood extra-marital affairs
In my blood youth's perversity
In my blood the ecstatic cry of sex

In my blood terrible hypocrisy
In my blood the bigoted executioner
In my blood the greed for others’ wealth
In my blood the joy of plunder
In my blood the delight of luxury

In my blood cold ice
In my blood the venomous snake
In my blood the killer's home
In my blood great distrust

In my blood volcano's resentment
In my blood quick sharp hatred
In my blood hurricane's fury
In my blood the tempestuous sea
In my blood Indra's bow
In my blood Noah's flood
In my blood the tiger's roar
In my blood the lion's cry
In my blood heroic protest
In my blood thirst for light
In my blood the message of freedom
In my blood the blood of the worker
In my blood the sweat of the peasant
In my blood the daily fight

In my blood the bright sun
In my blood Prajnaparamita
In my blood the mountain's contemplation
In my blood knowledge of all scriptures
In my blood hymn to the rains
In my blood graceful sunlight
In my blood clouds rivers water
In my blood the beauty of the grains
In my blood serene forests
In my blood the twittering of birds
In my blood young banana leaves
In my blood the garden of love

In my blood saints-sages-prophets
In my blood the creator poet
In my blood hermit's tapobon
In my blood pure Buddhagaya
In my blood holy Bethlehem
In my blood Hera's meditation
In my blood the silent Himalayas
In my blood all religions and verses
In my blood bow to Man.

Translated by Kabir Chowdhury


Love grows in darkness

Muhammad Samad

Love grows in darkness – love grows as it gets dark.

In darkness love lies with the beloved in its arms.
In darkness love rumbles all night long like the clouds of Ashaar.

In darkness love throbs impatiently at every point of its million hairs
In darkness love quietly treads along a thorny bush.

In darkness love shudders as it smells the long tresses of its beloved.
In darkness love runs gurgling like a mountain brook.

In darkness love kisses the kaash blossoms by the river bank.
In darkness love drips on the beloved body under the shewli tree.

In darkness love entireness itself around the beloved’s neck and throat and all her limbs
In darkness love knocks its head a begging at the golden door of heaven’s den.

Love grows in darkness – love grows as it gets dark.

Translated by Kabir Chowdhury

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