Nobody Kept Words
- Sunil Gangopadhyay
It is an epoch-making poetry written by eminent poet Sunil Ganopadhyay who composed several volumes of poetry and prose in Bengali literature. The original name of this poem is Keu Kotha Rakheni, which I dared to render it in English language. Review and criticism are acceptable for this rendering version.
Nobody kept words, thirty three years spent, nobody kept
words
In childhood a Bostumi suddenly pausing her
arrival song, said
She would come and sing the last part of it on the day of
twelfth moon
But many moon and dark nights came and gone
Yet that Bostumi did not return
I had been waiting for twenty five years.
Nader Ali, the fisher man of my maternal uncle’s house had
said, ”Grow up, Dadathakur”
I will take you to the lake of three tides
Where snake and bees play on the head of lotus
Nader Ali, how much grown I be?
My head is already pierced the roof of this room to touch
the sky
Then you will take me to?
I had never bought any royal candy
The children of Laskar house had sucked up the
sticked-candies showing us
I had seen the Rasa festival standing outside the gate like
a begger
In the midst of many known colours golden bracelets worn
fair girls had laughed in amusements
But never they looked back my way!
Father once touching my shoulder said, see,
One day we will also..
Now father is blind, nothing was seen by us
That royal candy, that sticked-candy, that Rasa festival
Nobody will return me those!
Resting a scented handkerchief on the chest Baruna had said
The day you love me truly
That day my chest also be filled with fragrance like attar
For love I held my life in the fist of hand
Waving red cloth in the eyes of running bull
Scouring the materialistic world I found one hundred eight Blue lotuses
Baruna, yet, did not keep her words,
Her chest, now, scents like flesh
Still she is any woman
Nobody kept words, thirty three years spent, nobody
keep words.
*Bostumi - a female vaishnabite or devotee or follower of vishnu. It is a community of Vaishnab followers. They go for alms door to door singing many devotional song.
* Dadathakur - an affectionate addressing towards kids.
* Blue Lotus - a sacred flower of Hindu religion. Lord Ram used it.
Translated by Suman Das
Original Poem- Keu Kotha Rakheni
