Woeful Town

by Dipankar Dasgupta

Woeful town, if your wish I ever could grant,
A tiny river may well be all you’ll want,
Whose tears perhaps would wash your smouldered soul,
And make the night stars snuggle up close and loll,
Quivers in hardened, frozen shadows it’d arouse
And turn them into a miracle’s fleeting spouse.
The mirthless town has lost track of the date
She had a river. A drain today’s her mate.

Woeful town, perchance if your needs I probed,
For a cloud or two you might have just implored,
Your grimy sky the clouds would partly screen,
With kindness blend the scorching sunrays’ sheen,
Timid longings perched on the wings of a kite
Rubbed by the softness of clouds they’d go on a flight.
The mirthless town can’t recall the time anymore
When in mires it lost the clouds that used to soar.

Original in Bengali by Premendra Mitra

10-Jun-2011

More By : Dipankar Dasgupta

Views: 1529 Comments: 4

Comments on this Poem

@ vjbunny

It was wonderful to see you here. I didn't know you were interested in poetry also. I have put up most of my poems here, including my translations of Bengali classics. I have been working on my translation work for a while now.

Delighted that you liked the poem.

dipankardasgupta
25-Oct-2011 00:52 AM

@ Swati Aiyer

Dear Swati:

It was so kind of you to visit this site. This is a serious webzine and I normally put up most of my serious efforts here. Amongst other things, this site allows you to edit your old posts, which I often tend to do.

I am immensely happy that you liked the poem. Most of the translations I have put up here are original Bengali classics.

dipankardasgupta
25-Oct-2011 00:48 AM

Am amazed to hear this is a translation of a poem. It is so good, it seems to be an original. Fantastic job. Thanks so much. :-)

Swati Aiyer
24-Oct-2011 09:38 AM

Superb poem it seems to reflect the points true longing for water....rain which has left citizens parched n mirthless.....

vjbunny
24-Oct-2011 09:11 AM