Hiren Bhattacharya
Hours before I'd a few glasses of liquor The inebriation hasn't died down altogether Perhaps in this way The entire night will pass over Sometimes I drink in this way! And its inebriation shifts me to the serene woods of my mind Where I converse with myself About issues never conferred with anyone before How pleasant are these nights! Where the puffed paddy of words burst* Among stars in the azure sky The river of my heart cleanses The wholesome body of the night With its cool mellifluous water ............... * puffed paddy of words burst : distinct articulation of words (Assamese idiom)
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Hiren Bhattacharya (b.1932-d.2012) was an Assamese poet and lyricist best known for his lyric poems.
Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.