Fazal Shahabuddin         

 

In the Blinding Light of this Century

 

 

O my self,

Cover us in darkness today,

Throw us into the depth of an abyss,

A void dark and endless,

We would like to sink in an eternity of darkness.

 

Give us some darkness,

For we’re overwhelmed in the

Blinding rays of this century,

We have been ripped naked by a cruel light,

And there’s the ghoulish cry of this nakedness

In every atom of our blood,

A bright, mechanical, frenzied nakedness

Has gripped and torn and lashed us asunder.

 

We are apprehensive

Of our cruel bankruptcy ; there’s in our soul

Hatred blazing like a naked sword,

Greed licking up in our desires,

An orgy of perverted sex in the feeling,

A wild frenzied dance of death in our aspirations

And lust in our love.

 

We are apprehensive

Of the ugly, brazen nakedness of our

Love

Desire

Thirst

Knowledge.

Ravaged we lie, ravished

By a vulgar, golden civilization.

 

O my self,

Give us some darkness therefore,

Some more darkness,

Throw us into the primordial nudity of darkness.

 

                                                        Translated by M. Harunur Rashid

 

 

Fazal Shahabuddin (1936--) Poet, Novelist, Story Writer and Translator. Poetry : Trishnar Agnite Eka (1965), Akangkhita Asundar (1967), Atotayi Surjasto (1975), Novel : Ekjan Anander Sharir, Awards : Bangla Academy Award-1973, Ekushe Padak-1988.