Beyond Land and Time

When I Lay in the Sleep of Death

(Rupôshi Bāngla 15: Jôkhôn Mrittyur Ghumє Shuyє Rôbo)

Translated by Hayat Saif

When I lay in the sleep of death—in darkness under the stars

Under the jackfruit tree probably in the

                        Bank of the river Dhaleswari or Chilai—

In the day time no one comes near the cremation ground—

Even though jackfruit and black berries of Bengal cast

                        their shadow on my chest, on my

face drops one by one leaves from

the Banyan tree brown and beautiful—

The shrubs fox thorns love my body,—

They come closer on my ashes now—

I am asleep in deep grasses of Bengal—

I am asleep and stars move slowly above

Far from the skies—further away—in lonely

Skies of Bengal—and then I fall asleep in

Deep slumber for nothing—when I awake

Again my ashes are covered with the grass of Bengal—

I can see and smell of Basak and

Pineapple flowers—hear the bees are moving

The glass worm’s voices speak in

The afternoon sun—

They all are in love with me.