Just found joy,
Quickly parted.
The pain, the pain, so hard the leaving!
A colorful boat takes the spring and goes;
Vain it is keeping the bright moon in the river.
E'en by the hand of the wicked can truth be working with vigor;
But the vessel is filled by what is beauteous alone.
Whose love is given over-well
Shall look on Helen's face in hell,
Whilst those whose love is thin and wise
May view John Knox in Paradise.
To Walter Savage Landor
Ah, Walter, where you lived I rue
These days come all too late for me;
What matter if her eyes were blue
Whose rival is Persephone?
Sometimes drops of rain
splash in somnolent places
waking ancient thirst.
(Previously published in Borders and Time, March 2000)
The sinful painter drapes his goddess warm,
Because she still is naked, being drest;
The godlike sculptor will not so deform
Beauty, which bones and flesh enough invest.
বোঁটায় তোর গোলাপ রঙ অবন্তিকা
শরীরে তোর সবুজ ঢাকা অবন্তিকা
আঁচড় দিই আঠা বেরোয় অবন্তিকা
চাটতে দিস নেশায় পায় অবন্তিকা
টাটিয়ে যাস পেট খসাস অবন্তিকা
मेरी देह से मिट्टी निकाल लो और बंजरों में छिड़क दो
मेरी देह से जल निकाल लो और रेगिस्तान में नहरें बहाओ
मेरी देह से निकाल लो आसमान और बेघरों की छत बनाओ
मेरी देह से निकाल लो हवा और यहूदी कैम्पों की वायु शुद्धकराओ
मेरी देह से आग निकाल लो, तुम्हारा दिल बहुत ठंडा है
Limber-limbed, lazy god, stretched on the rock,
Where is sweet Echo, and where is your flock?
What are you making here? "Listen," said Pan, --
"Out of a river-reed music for man!"
Palomino hooves
fly across the barren plain
warrior's heart unbridled
(Previously published in Borders and Time, March 2000)
