Leaves Fall Down / Abu Karim

Someone is standing under the shade bowing his look low.

In front of him some dry leaves drop on air, one or two-

in a very slow motion of falling.

Many sleepless nights have been passed

with the ruminating of disheveled memory.

Then eyes sore; as if the barren and doleful field

were stuck inside them.

Within the wink of an eye

the lonely, wagtail bird of far away childhood sat down

with its numb wings;

or another moment comes down like a shadow spreading its tail.

In the evening in some restaurant with sparse customers,

two sitting face to face, at the middle, green table, black coffee,

on the blood red wall- shadows of two persons.

Green and black express life on both sides;

at the middle place love.

A coral island inside the furnace.

Someone is lonely even in the midst of touch;

one or two leaves in air

Falling very slow.

Leaves drop down; shadows drop down; the sun drops down.

Only a lovelorn hand keeps holds on the stream

of these falling memories.

This arm holds up the fall of the earth.

December 28, 1973

‘পাতা ঝরে’ কবিতার অনুবাদ

[Translated by Dulal Al Mansur]