Monday 10 May 2021

Mother's Day 2021

 

মাতৃদিবসে কখনো বলিনি তোমায়

ভালোবাসি, ভালোবাসি। হয় নি প্রয়োজন

সাজানো স্তবক, আড়ম্বর।  ছোট ছোট কথায়

মাপি নি মাতৃত্বের এই অগাধ বন্ধন

প্রজন্ম প্রজন্মে গাঁথা।  পূর্ণ নিস্তব্ধতায় -

এখন আর বলার নেই উপায়, তবু মনে হয়

কিছু কথা না বলাই ভালো। সব কিছু বলবার নয়।

 

বহু কথা বলা, শোনা হলো এ জীবনে। 

ছিল যে মমতা তোমার হাতের স্পর্শে, যে আশ্রয়

তোমার আঁচলে, হঠাৎ হাসি ফোটা চোখের কোণে,

ঘুমপাড়ানি গানে সেই প্রথম ভাষা পরিচয় -

ভোরের কুয়াশার মতো ঘেরে, ছেঁড়ে কিছুক্ষণে

পড়ে থাকে নীরব  শূন্যতা। তবু মনে হয়

ও কথাটি না বলাই ভালো। সব কিছু বলবার নয়।



Automatic translation by Google,  minimally tweaked 


I never told you on Mother's Day

I love you, love you. Didn't need to

arrange stanzas/bouquets, fuss. Didn't ever measure

with tiny words this deep bond of motherhood 

carried from generation to generation. In complete silence -

now there is no way to say anything, but still  I feel 

some words are better unspoken. Everything need not be said.


Much has been said and heard in this life.

There was that compassion in the touch of your hand, that refuge

in the loose end of your sari, a sudden smile in the corner of your eye,

the first introduction to language in lullabies-

they surround me like morning mist, vanish after a while

leaving a silent emptiness. Yet it seems

those words are better left unsaid. Everything need not be spoken.





Happy Mother's Day! - to all mums who are here and those who are not.




10 comments:

  1. Some powerful heart rending truths. And some memories to cherish forever too.

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    1. Most memories get gilded with time. Nearly all.

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  2. Sometimes words cannot capture what the heart means.

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  3. Hari OM
    Oh yes - and some words passed the one would so wish to retrieve... YAM xx

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    1. Oh absolutely. And some words one wishes one had never heard too haha.

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  4. Yep - been over thirty years since my mother passed and there are words never said that I think of today. But special moments are clear and ring true in my heart. Your poem is very special. Thanks

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    1. Your mother passed untimely! So tough. There are people one misses no matter how much time goes by, special moments help to make the grief a little more bearable. Wishing you peaceful memories always.

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  5. Thanks Nila - so eloquently expressed ... small words add to our familial timbre ... I have lovely memories, but oh so wish I'd used more words and understood better - still we were happy - especially in those last years together ... losing our parents is desperate - and mothers bring us forth.  With thoughts - Hilary

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Hilary. Mothers are super special always.

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