On a cold dewy night

হিমের রাতে ওই গগনের দীপগুলিরে

himer rate oi gogoner deepgulire (audio)

On a cold and dewy night
Winter drew close her veil
Cloaking the lamps lit in the sky
She sent a message to each home
“Light up, o light up a row of lamps
Illumine with your own glow
Bedeck this earth with radiance”

Barren are flower gardens
Silent is the cuckoo

Kaash* wilts on riverbanks
The robin sings no more

Be gone ennui, grief dark
Light up a row of lamps
Illumine with your own glow
Proclaim the triumph of radiance

Wake up children of earth
The Gods gaze down

Light up, wake up the night
Day ends, darkness descends
Light up a row of lamps
Illumine with your own glow
Defeat dark ignorance

Kaash* : a tall species of grass that is usually seen in autumn

Voice of spring in autumn

হেমন্তে কোন্‌ বসন্তেরই বাণী
hemonte kon boshonteri bani  (audio)

Voice of spring in autumn
The full moon does carry
As if paints floral dreams
Moonlight on Bakul* stems
What secret whisperings
The full moon does carry
Enraptured are forests
With untimely blossoms
Of the white oleander
Warbles time and again
The sleep bereft bird
Whose name no one knows
Sweet memories of whom
The full moon does carry

Bakul* - a fragrant white flower that grows in the Indian subcontinent

The day you had called me

সে দিন আমায় বলেছিলে
shey din amay bolechhile

The day you had called me
Time I had not in hand
You wandered to and fro
Before you went away

Time it was then to play
Fair of flowers in forests
Ever restless was breeze
Anxiously rustling leaves

Today heralds autumn
Dissolved has foggy mist
Departed has décor
The hours draw near
Is it now time?
Awaiting at the door
As day comes to a close
I look towards the road

O fallen leaves

ঝরা পাতা গো

jhawra pata go

O fallen leaves, your kindred soul I am
In much laughter and many tears
Phagun leaves with a farewell song

O fallen leaves, in colours chrome
Decked have you in final attire
Played so riotous a Holi
Amidst the dust and the green grass
In this closing saga of spring

Colour my raiment red and gold
Just like yours, in fiery hues
May the setting sun
Caress with a Midas touch
The few remnants of my life

Phagun/Phalgun : the penultimate month of the Bengali calendar
Holi : festival of colours celebrated on the last full moon day of Phagun