Theme: Love

Tiger

tiger1.jpg

Siesta time on a cloudy day, just when memory began to unroll
Timeless love in the garb of a tiger, came to the woods for a stroll …
I spotted it, came close to it, and called out: Come on, devour
But its eyes were glued, and trapped it stood, to budge it had no power. 

I was gripped by sheer panic, for those pair of jestful eyes 
Winged and singed in light-filled blackness, floating on blue highs
The tiger was bulky, its face was grumpy, and its conceit a towering hill …
These scribbled jabs from my little hand though revealed a beauteous thrill.

Siesta time on a cloudy day, just when memory began to unroll
Timeless love in the garb of a tiger, came to the woods for a stroll …
I spotted it, came close to it, and called out, Come on, devour!
But its eyes were glued, and trapped it stood, to budge it had no desire.
 

(Translation of a Bengali poem by Shakti Chattopadhyay, published in July, 1972 in his collection Prabhu Noshto Hoye Jai – Lord I am Rotting Away) 
Image © Getty Images

11-Oct-2012

More By  :  Dipankar Dasgupta

Views: 1399     Comments: 5

Comments on this Poem

Comment I would have broken each line into two for better readability. I also agree with Mr. Biswas's point of view which to me infers that unless one has not read the original or has the grasp of the original language, one cannot appreciate the translation in true sense.

Raj
16-Oct-2012 14:20 PM

Comment @tagoreblog

Thank you Kumud babu. You are very kind.

dipankardasgupta
13-Oct-2012 06:46 AM

Comment @utteeyo

Thanks a lot!

dipankardasgupta
13-Oct-2012 06:43 AM

Comment When a man took his young son to a maestro for initiation in classical music the teacher told his new pupil to first unlearn what he had already learnt. To appreciate this marvellous poem in equally marvellous translation the reader has to get rid of traditional associations of words and images used in it - like 'love' and 'tiger'. It is a poem far advanced in time. Very beautifully translated.

TagoreBlog
13-Oct-2012 04:29 AM

Comment Lovely!

Utteeyo
12-Oct-2012 14:22 PM


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