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“Following in steps” Translated by Issani Paul Chowdhury Onushoron by Ranojit Das (Bengali) Climbing, the puny bough of the night-flowering jasmine between the earth and the sun Gradually moving ahead with the Caterpillar, matching its run Heavy and sluggish, it is serving as meal for birds, dripping in self-venom If, like it, I too can…

“Solitary” Translated by Kausambi Patra Ekaa by Mandakranta Sen (Bengali) Lying for so long under waters, green hued Alga and abandoned insect wings pillow me Have all of you reached the water’s edge above, to bathe? Waves of yearning surge, I long to go with you… “The Present” Translated by Kausambi Patra Upohaar by Mandakranta Sen…

“Lalan’s Songs” Translated by Averi Saha   From Bengali I Where shall one run and seek refuge When devoured by the beast of the mind? I try to fasten it secure in rhyme But lo! It breaks free every time Rising with a ferocious roar Scares away my bird of mind. If one ends it…

“In the Light” Translation by Jemima Nasrin Alokey by Kamini Roy (Bengali) We are the children of light, What endless galaxy lies in here! Dreams are woven in this light, The game to be born and die. Thousand sparkles of life Under the infinite universe, With the great burning sun, They go on shining leisurely.…

“Clouds have come” Translated by Madhu Sriwastav Megh Aaye by Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena (Hindi) Clouds have come all dressed up flamboyantlyThe wind comes before singing dancing in joyDoors windows begin to open in lanesAs if a guest has come to village from cityClouds have come all dressed up flamboyantly.Trees stoop and peep with raised necksStorm…

“Darkness is dense” Translated by Nikita Parik Gahan hai andhkara by Suryakant Tripathi Nirala (Hindi) This prison of darkness is dense;Veils of egotism have raided our beings. A rhizomed-wall engulfs us,They look away, proclaiming this sky to be devoid of sun,of moon, of stars This infinite sea of imaginationthunders around me, terrifyingly, I no longer…

“The Female Poets’ helplessness” translated by Sudeshna Chakravorty Streekaviyon ki Zahalatein by Anamika (Hindi)  A poem is a woman too, after allno one listens to it.Or even if they do,they do not understand.All are her lovers, and none a friend! How lonely is she trapped in this touched-up, empty fleshliness-Fleshliness,of that tiny pigeon-who had gone…

“Force and Creation” Translated by Sumit Ray Dabaav aur Srijan by Yatish (Hindi) Have you seen a mountainor a river form?Have you seen a forest growor a star being added to the galaxy? Mountains of sorroware also formed unseenRivers of feelingsalso flow unwanted in silence. Everyone seesthe growth of the trunkand fruit laden branches bowing…

“Dangerous” translated by Basudhara Roy Khatarnak by Leeladhar Mandloi (Hindi) With those I have spent fifty yearswhat happened so unforeseenthat their love alchemized into disgustand their religion into war? The mouthful that once cohered on their plateis now hemlock.Burning embers have replacedthe moistness of their tongue. All hope of justice from themis forever lost.The expression…

Poetry at the Heart of the Nation, the journal of the Intercultural Poetry and Performance Library (IPPL), in its previous avatar was published in pdf form and uploaded to the IPPL website. While throughout the pandemic we, at IPPL, have been using poetry to stay connected, work on the Journal had been held up for…