Hayat Saif

This Sham City

And god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ;

and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,

nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain :

for the former things are passed away.

                       --The Revelation of St. John the Divine

Make this

         blabbing city cry,

                if you can.

Mingle your tears

               in the silence

                     of the terrible.

Burn this wilderness

           of bricks and brimstone

                with the fire of unknown bones.

Let the heart-rending cry

             of truth and beauty

                      ring out.

Make this sham city

            tremble

               tremble.

                         Translated by M. Harunur Rashid

Hayat Saif (1942-)

Poet. Poetry : Santrase Sahabas (1983), Sab Fele Diye (1984), Epith Opith (1989), Prodhanata Mati o Manush (1989), Hayat Saifer Premer Kovita (1996), Essay : Ukti o Upalabdhi (1993).