Soumen Chattopadhyay

Bengali Poetry / West Bengal State

Ancestors

Darkness of endless nightbreaks my bones

Carrying rocky hills upon heart

Beneath the civilised surfaceI hear repeated queer moan

Let me go thereI can no longer wait

O my wild ancestorsI hear your soul stirring

I need to be closer to youI remember cave dwellers

Smoking bodies sitting around a fire

Poor resonance I listened

From my ancient village

Of those apathetic evenings in the lap of hills

I have to go to bring lost souls

Darkness of endless night waiting for me

A million skeletons

Of Maya civilization are moaning

They have something to say

Beyond their last desire...

Now they drag their hearts

Through December nights

I feel current of their traverse

And the shadow of night hunts my nerve

Still they are trying to rebuild

Lovely dreams for their sons

Through those dreams

One illumine the path of even the dull witted

They asked-If there is anybody to restore their dreams

If there is anybody to bring the flame of love

O my ancestors I hear your soul stirring

I can no longer wait

Let me go Let me go once more

I have to go to bring lost souls

Darkness of endless night

Waiting for a poet

--

Poem / Translated from Bengali Language