Tuesday 23 October 2012


The morning comes in with
its melancholy mist
wrapped tight about it
a slightly misshapen pea in its pod

 

someone’s going early, the others late
a word, phrase, a flake
lodged under my nail
a sunsliver flung up and caught

 

between the teeth
of time, someone leaves
nothing’s spoken, the door creaks
closed but can’t fully shut, the frame’s warped.

 

a quote ‘s been left, a line
from a verse, snagged outside
the wall, it’s not a good sign
and true enough, the one who first wrote it, is lost.




Yesterday was the death anniversary of one of the great Bengali poets, Jibanananda Das. 

And this morning I woke up to the news of Sunil Gangopadhyay's death, an iconic personality of Bengali contemporary literature, revered in India and Bangladesh.  A favourite line from his poetry roughly translates - only for poetry have I sneered at immortality.  I grew up reading his poetry and fiction, and I know there is much to celebrate, he has left behind a huge body of work, but right now all I can be is sad.








Shared @ dVerse 

 

 

 

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful tribute, Nilanjana.

    Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh my...not only an anniversary but another loss...it is sad when those strong voices fade...and hopefully they have left us inspired to step into that gap and sing ourselves....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Something about the voices from childhood...hard when they go quiet..

      Delete
  3. Lovely melancholy write...I specially like sunsilver flung up and caught ~ Its sad when there revered writers die, thanks for sharing the news with us ~

    ReplyDelete
  4. So sorry for the loss of a great poet. I appreciated this heart-felt tribute!

    ReplyDelete
  5. You remind us how small our human community is, and how how difficult it is to surrender away those who light our way with their words. A very moving poem, clean and sparse and full of loss.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is difficult giving up icons of our youth..thank you for reading

      Delete
  6. Such a beautiful tribute... you have done justice to the sadness you feel at their loss.

    ReplyDelete
  7. it's always sad when such talented and inspiring people die...a beautiful and heartfelt tribute..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. we know it of course that they will die, but still when it happens it is a shock...thank you for your comment

      Delete
  8. Wonderful quirky poem, and lovely tribute. I only know Tagore, but your poem sounds terrific too. k.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love Tagore... who is incomparable really, it is fitting that he inspires the kind of awed reverence that he does...there are other poets who write in Bengali who are not as well known but deserve to be. Thank you for your comment.

      Delete
  9. A well penned tribute, Nilanjana.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Adura....appreciated much. Good to see you here!

      Delete