Pledge

Firstly, to the brightness that you are
Here's a distress call on a shady morning
To the utter sanctity that bathes in fire
I pledge my love, forever and ever to thee.

Chingrir biye

Chingri tin prokar
Kucho, bagda, golda
Chhelera sudhu dui,
Buddhiman o bolda.

Je chingri lau-te jay
Tar jayga bhire
Je chhele se lau khay
Tar pete boro khide.

Chingrir bajar dor
Charsho, panchsho, hajar
Koto chhele nihswa,
Tao dor korchhe bichhanar.

Malai bhule mala haate
Ek chingri hobe bibahito,
Nijer haatei nijer dhore
Aj khoka-samaj godogodo.

Nest

And thus it happens,
Words leave the poet at midnight
Darkness is all that's left behind.

There's an insomniac bird near-by
Who knows for whom she keeps singing;
How far does her song take her longing?

When the world around her sleeps
She calls out to her beloved, all alone
With a hope...
Something would stir beneath a tombstone.

Or may be he has just flown near by
As she sings, he might turn up by her side
And whisper : Neer chhoto, khhoti nei.

Flowers

Who knows how many lives we pass
Before life itself decides to settle on us?
But eventually when it actually does,
A moment washes away the lifeless past.

So no matter how many times you fail
Walk the same road again and again
No matter how many times you are derailed
An evening flower might still make your day.

Let Love love you back in its own way -
Imagine you are at the ancient most cafe
The tables might just always be occupied
So the best thing to do would be to take away.

So no matter how much you have to pay
An evening flower can still make your day.
No matter how long you are stuck in the rain,
The flower will always make your day.

Klanti

Sesh prohorer byastotay

Shorir beye Klanti jhore pore

Matir ashonkhyo konar majhe mishe jay

Keu dyakhe na, tomar klanti chokhe dhulo day;

Nijer chokhe. Anyo ke niye tar bhabbar samay koi?

Tai jara tomay niye kabyo korar lobh dekhay

Tader bolo, tomar klanti tomar motoi amay

khunje beray.

Gaan

Harano koto kal boye chole harano bhalobasha
Tomar amar premer hisaab rakhchhe kon khata?

Durbhikkher kole sudhu tomakei khunje jai
Bonyakobol kannar jole tomar-i chinho pai.

Muche jay koto raag abhiman, muche jay koto bhasha
Stobdhotar ei biponnotay koto koto mukh badha!

Amra dujone gaan geye jai, gaaner dukkho bhule
Mukto hoye jhorbe se gaan tomari du chokh bhore.

Sraddharghya

Hey kobita, tumi bishwoy
Je kada churechhi tomar rupe
Ta aj amari mukhe eshe lage, hay!

Hey sabdo, tumi akkhoy
Firey firey pai tomar sparshe
Nijeri bhetore pujito Ishwarer tthai.

Hey kobita, khoma koro amay
Khoma koro amay khama koro amay.

Shoto agnibaner kopeo
Jeno emon bhul na hoy, r na hoy
Hey mahakhamota, khama koro amay.

Stick it.

For long I have hidden fire within my words
Now I realize, it's best to burn the cowards!

Truth might hurt if it doesn't fit your game
Lies will eventually strangle you, with shame.

No matter how long they ask you to stick
Everyone will leave you for a bigger dick.

And you might get angry, for you too are sensitive
Apologies, few networks are just too capacitive!

So the next time you turn the age-old main switch on
Be careful, a certain fuse has had enough and it's gone!

Brahmastro

It, patkele aghat pai na ami

Rokter ek binduo matite pore na;

Agune puri na, jole dubi na,

Amar shirar neshay chhute ashe bish;

Mukhe brahmastro niye ghuri

Nijei nijeke dhongsho kore firi.

Amar dhongsho thekei utthan hoy sabder

E sabdo amar, e bhasha, e chinho amar

Ami-i srishtir mul-e, ami-i dhongsher kole

Amar jogot jure sudhu ami-i eka sthir;

Tai dhulishyaat sahosro nakkhatrer bhire

Abar nijeke chinechhi, Raktobeejer shorir.

Coffin

সবাই বেঁচে আছে,
নেশা, ক্ষিদে, অস্বস্তি সহ্য করে
তুমিও যাও, বেঁচে থাকো,
কারোর কফিনের ভেতরে।

যদি দেখা পাও
কোনো ক্ষত-বিক্ষত ডেডবডির,
চোখ বুজে নিও;
মলম চায় না মৃত্যুপথযাত্রী।।

Choronamrito

ভেবেছো পাথরে আগুন লাগবে?
তোমার মতো
অনেক আগুন আজীবন আমার পা ধোয়ায়;
ছন্দ খুঁজছো ?
আমার কবিতা তোমার নাচের উঠোন নয়।

যারা কান পেতে তোমার কথা শোনে
আর জিব পেতে
কাঙালের মতো চাটে তোমার চরণামৃত;
তাদের নিয়েই থাকো,
পোশাক পাল্টাতে আমি তোমার থেকে দ্রুত।

Janala

Gumot mon toke ghamiye chole jay

Raat er por raat, tui janala bondhoi rakhis

Palla khule dakh hawao aj ache dwidhay

Mon samlabi samla, haat barate kiser bhoy?

Amaro janala bondhoi ache bohudin

Pachhe bairer dhulo abar dhuke jay,

Gaan bolche kaanche lege ache shunyota

Amar janalao khola hobe, achi apekkhay.

Agami

Shune cholechho eker por ek sarboharar gaan
Ogunti pata kobitar khwotoy sudhu korchhe snan

Prosno bitarito, firey chole jay tomar dorja theke
Uttor na deoyar luxury aar kotodin bnachabe tomake?

Aro koto rokter jharna dhoyabe bolo tomar upottoka?
Ekdin jeno bonya asbei, guro guro hobe sadher attalika!

Mithyer haat dhore bari chhere kotodur aar palano jay?
Mithye-o tomay chhere palabe, sudhui tthokanor neshay.

Tai pure chharkhar hobei ekdin jomano joto jontrona
Kalchokre jodio, sedin tumi chhara aar keu purbena!

Antenna

An antenna comes free with melancholy;
Signals close-by have no where to escape.
Solitude brings with it many a short story,
And here I am, to fill your pages in full glory.

Tune

The tune falls softly over me
Blending itself in its symphony,
But O sadness, I am no music,
Neither am I one of the six strings.

So why at all do you come to me?
Personified over here, is melancholy.

Tui chhara

Tui chhara sobai charidike

Prem prem kumirdangay byasto,

Sobai fondi antchhe madhyajugio

Sobai anyer lohu korchhe paan;

Mapchhe, katchhe, chharchhe

Sobai bujhe nite chaichhe hiseb moto,

Tui chhara, aj sobai byabsadar!

Amio, bohukal hiseb korei cholechhi

Bhule gechhilam, swocchhota

Bhule gechhilam nijer tola chhobi

Je jai boluk, tui chhara sob kichui mlan.

Isolated

Bhebe dekhecho ki
Tara ra joto alokbarsho durei
Hok na kano, universe to isolated
Ekkhana system; Tumi
Prem kore cholechho premer sathei
Prem bujhi na, tai amio isolated.

Brahmander dhuloy jara
Naam lekho eke oporer
Kal-er taale ekhono haoni backdated-
Ki kore adou bujhina-
Prem kano currency mangsher?
Ei bishwe ami nihswa, aar tai isolated.

Akashbani

Haat foshke jay

Tomar; Ogunti premiker bhire

Ashole gondogol goray

Tai aynay dekho phire phire.

Eka poth hete jao,

Chhure felo prem, jome jonjal

Je bole tumi eka nao -

Bhebo to, she premik na konkal?

Prem hoite sabdhan
Ohetuk nijer diyo na bisarjon

Jibe prem kore jei jon

Shei jon sebichhe imagination!

Khadyo

Jontro jontro jontro
Ajke hoyeche joto swatontro
Lakhyabhede biswa korche joy...
Biplobi koto klanto
Ajke hotash muluke bhranto,
Mithye-e tara hocche apochoy!

Prem swadhinota rokto
Khurche mogoje mogoje gorto
Rashtropunjo jure hocche abhinoy;
Tobuo dyakho he bhondo
Tomar shikriti niye chhondo
Lute cholechhe nijer khadyo kobitay!

Samay

Ki hobe kal, na bhebe mon harai

Gaan ashe na, sudhu tal kete jay

Alto haat, mishty raat

Chhuyechi jei hothat

Samay...theme jay...

Kichu katha ache baron,

Sesh kathai bolbo tai;

Abhiman korecho Mon

Taito gaan shuniye jai...

Besamal, brishti chhat

Bhijche mon-er molat

Samay...thamche tai.

Raat neme ashe

Raat neme ashe eka eka
Sandhyer mukh pore dhaka
Shei chadore, amar tomar ghor badha.

Din chole jay kora nere
Aar dupur goray bikele
Ashe godhuli kobitay firey firey.

Bhijche gaacher dal brishtir chhate
Hocche shukno chokh jol hariye
Lukiye thakbe alo, adharer bhire
Tai ekdin tumi asbe ei nodir teere.

Shei teer dhore hatbo amra notun kore...

Ke jane

Ke jane kon mukh aj raat jagay
Kon katha, kon gaan, kon guitar,
Samay er shure tor mon bholay.

Ke jane mishechis aar kar lekhay
Kar thonte, kar ghume, kar buke,
Ke nihswa hoyeche aar tor neshay.

Ke jane ki chilo amar toke chaoay
Ki pelam, ki dilam, aar ki haralam
Aj ke-i ba thakte chay esob bhabnay.

Doriya

Majhi eshe bollo amay "de pari de"

Brishtir ashonka nei madhyaraate,

Chhata gyalo parei theke bhul thikanay,

"Gaan geye hariye jabo majhdoriyay".

Doriyar tol bujhina, atol pani

Majhi ghumale ami nouko tani;

Noukay jol barlo, mosto boro

Bipod eshe mukh bekiye hajir holo.

Majhi hay lafiye jole snatar kaate

Bhabi ami ajke amay ke bnachabe?

Doriya obak hoye amay dyakhe...

"Fi bochhor matir denay bhashte sekhe."

Machhlibaba

Koto maacher rokto mishe galo amar rokte
Lyaja, gada, peti, ghilu sob-i pet-er shoshane;
Ei hotya amar dharma, bangalir buddhi fishy ?
Tomar paate peye jabe, tai pabdar jhole mishi.

The Missed Train

Gaan likhte boshechi, tor katha bhebe
Amar sob lekhatei sudhu tui thakis,
Na thekeo achis, naki na thekei -
Se prasner uttor palte jay samay bujhe.

Tui khunjis kina janina nijeke amar lekhay
Hoyto mone mone setai cheyechi sob samay
Naki tokei cheyechi nijer kache -
Se prasno, amay uttor deoyar samay khonje.

Itihasher roop dekhechilam tor chokhe,
Tor klanti-te bhule gechilam chhotfotate
Naki sei klanti thekei chhotfotano shuru
Se prasner uttor, bhoy kore nijeke dite.

Ek sathe dekha jholmole raat, alo ar jol
Ulto dike hantchi, bujhechi onek pore
Naki ekhono bujhini eto dineo -
Se prasner uttor khunje aj ar ki hobe?

Bhalobashar fitey
Ami khuli, tui bnadhis
Sei fitey-e atke jay samay, 
Bondho hoy dorja, chole jay train
Sathe chole jay tor khhoniker prem, 
Naki ashe prothombar?
Se prasner uttor tor kachei thak.

Asamayer chhata

Asamay hole, maagh-eo brishti hoy
Jemon Anjan Dutta goliye dan Himalay;
Amar oto shaddhi nei; mon ache bote
Aar brishti eranor chhata ache dorgoray.

Pabitrata

Satyi katha likhte pari ami,
Kintu ta srutimodhur noy
Amay poranor onek agun ache
Shukno kagoj, amar purte kisher bhoy?

Sobai puriyeche, apadmostok
Sitar naki agniparikkha hoy,
Aar Ram? Tomader pujo nite
Shei jogyer chai mekhei jol-e dube jaay.

Bhogoban-er sudhu apomrityu-i hoy
Itihasher khatay dharma mati tei lutoy
Shoto-sahasra jug puriye bhashiyecho,
Pabitra gangajole sokoler paap dhuye jay.

Lukochuri

Tora amar onek kobita pore felechis
Kobitar shiray shiray amay khunjechis
Tobe amar kon kobitay ami chhilam?
Jara chilo, tader aar aj nei kono hodish.

Tai kobitay khanto dite cholechhi
Samay hoyeche notun kono golpo lekhar
Se golpe abar hoyto amay khunjbi
Sekhaneo hoyto thakbo, kintu pabi na.

Balconies

Deep into early night,
When rain jogs slowly
And the street lights
Breathe in symphony,
The river, hair, fingers
Come back home, to me.
And I wonder what
You might be searching
From your balcony!

Each balcony has its story,
Characters discovering themselves
In yet another epoch of history.

Such were we, in a cold windy night
But not every page will see the light,
With all said and done, what really matters
Is a question - Where are we, tonight?

Love

Why do I at all claim that I love you?
Mean, afraid, lost are my adjectives
My punctuations, all centered around me
Create my bubble, and mirages set me free!
I mould my clay and burn my effigies
I wish to be freed from my own petri-dish.
And then I keep singing that I love you
My poems are lies, and I always knew!

Shore

Sea, clouds and a woman at horizon;  
What's life, but a breath of fresh air?
What's left behind will soon be gone,
And future will be a forgotten chapter.
Reach the horizon before the Sun
What breathes now, might be forever!

Kobita

Sob katha kobitay bolte nei
Kobitay faank thake onek
Hoyto kono kichui kobitay bolte nei
Kobitar mane hoy onek.

Bookmark

Aj bhabchi ki hobe bhodro hoye?
Tomar fele jawa chul chhuye?
Haat-er talu te tomar rekha nei
Onek lekha jomeche boi-er pata jure.

Jara boi pore na, tara jane na
Lekhar shuru aar sesh thake na
Bookmark haat-e niye boshe achi
Sudhu tomar boi hoye othar opekkha.

Boatman and the river

The boatman lets go of the oar
It doesn't matter to him anymore
The art of rowing for him is over
All that is left for him, is the river.

Home and away

Home away from home,
Your balcony, western breeze,
You cry every night alone
How about some Murakami?
Pain - a conclusion forgone,
Past? You might just let it be.
Love? Your eyes at dawn,
Letters? Would rather be with me.

Poems; fertile plains for irrigation
Lovers though, uproot each other.
For all the deforestation and erosion,
Time, indifferent camouflages as river.
May be that's what you really are,
As I row my boat, you are my keeper.
If you get bored someday of your job,
I'd still be rowing, but...
                         Towards your destination.

Royalty

There was a rumour,
Vengeance is roaming the forests;
Then they saw him,
In full glory, distanced from stress;
They laid down a trap
And sadly, entrapped themselves;
So the Cat still sits
Atop your domesticated foodchain;
And you are worried,
Outwitted by his grace, indulgence.

He is a Bengal Tiger,
His royal footsteps leave history behind;
A History that laughs
At the self proclaimed smart humankind;
He hasn't yet killed,
For his urine is enough to rule your mind;
Just let him breathe;
Not you, his habitat is only for him to find
O my fellow Sapiens,
It's so satisfying to see the fright in your eyes.

Dedicated to the crazy motherfucking Royal Bengal Tiger roaming around in Lalgarh for over a month!

Colourblind

I like it simple
In approach, and reproach
In truth, i.e., if truth be told
I am just a duckling, singing
Within an egg of eternal half-life.

Someday, though the egg will hatch
And light will break-in through my prism;
You may choose a colour for yourself,
I, colourblind, will always choose white.
But if you happen to find a colour on me,
Remember, the egg's hatched; I will flee.

She doesn't wait anymore

                  She doesn't wait anymore,
She doesn't wait for magic,
Neither is she problematic;
Doesn't listen to your music,
She's immune to your toxic;
                  She doesn't wait anymore,
She sleeps without nightmares,
Without your hugs and prayers;
She has decided not to care,
If you don't deserve what she offers;
                   She doesn't wait anymore,
She doesn't wait for the man in you
If only you had the slightest clue!
Her footsteps wouldn't fight the glue,
If you listened, to her, who lived in you.

She doesn't wait anymore
For she doesn't have to,
She never needed any help
Only the best version of you.