Mahboob Sadiq

 

Indebted to Beauty

 

 

Sometimes the shrunk surface of the human skin

                                is rendered so tense

A red fury does spread like

The softened red on the skin of a child—

An anger more genuine than in defending self

Fumes in the cells of the brain;

A sword does leap on to the hands

               beneath the moon and

Straightens that obdurate sharpened tongue.

And someone like a seedling of rose

Penetrates the roots—

The searching hands do go so deep

Cracking the earth and they

So playingly hold some rigid stones

                  before that sharpened sword

Instead of defeat, with their shining eyes

They win over a vulture—

An angry vulture having buffalo’s horns.

 

This the-fold nature of man

When washed with tears from domain of pain

Verdant leaves do bloom in life,

The serene moon as cream of milk

Then covers afar the darkness here ;

In the depth of memory peeps the human debt                               

And that indebtedness to beauty stands

One one’s way to way to utter ruins.

 

                                        Translated by Abid Anwar

 

Mahbub Sadiq (1948--) Poet, Essayist and Story Writer. Poetry : Sandhar Swavab (1976}, Sundar Tomar Nirjane (1985), Adiganta Roder Timir (1995). Novel : Uttal (1990), Taroder Ekattar (1994). Story : Joytsna Bona Rat (1997), Essay : Buddhadev Basur Kovita : Bishay o Prokaran (1991), Kovitay Myth o Anyanya Prosanga (1993), Awards : Khaled Mosarraf Memorial Award-1997.