Ashraf Siddiqui

  Study

A tiny bay river in a tiny town.

The man toils in the office and the wife

Goes around the house attending to mundane chores,

New sewing and then sitting with a story-book to                                   

        read.

It rains through the day with rumbling thunder.

The man in a world of his own

tunes to it on the esraj 

Deep in a melodious euphoria! And then suddenly

The girl throws the book away and stares ----

       apparently at nothing!

She unwinds her hair, ties again and then in a huff

Pulls the disheveled anchal  across her breast.

                                      Translated by Mohamed Mijarul Quayes  

Ashraf Siddiqui (1927--) Poet, Story Writer, Researcher, Translator and Writer of Children Literature. Poetry : Taleb Master o Onyanya Kovita (1950), Satbhai Champa (1955), Uttar Akasher Tara (1958),  Story : Rabeya Apa (1956), Kagojer Nouka (1962), Shesh Nalish (1992), Reseach : Lokosahitya (1964), Kingbadantir Bangla (1975), Bengali Folklore (1977), Our Folklore Our Haritage (1977), Lokayata Bangla (1978), Translation : Sagar Theke Ana (1975), Ek Je Chhilo Singha Mashai (1958), Awards : All Bengal Essay Competition, Gold Medel-1948, Bangla Academy Award- 1964), Daud Award : 1965), UNESCO Award –1966, Ekushe Padak-1988, Dr. Dinesh Sen Award (Kalkata-1996-97).