Durgeswar Sarma

Be lured not by my charming looks --
My doting eyes on a comely face,
Be lured not by my outer goodness,
Be lured not by the glint of love in my heart ;
All might end up along the path of vice --
However somewhere I'll crumble into bits !
Keep your eyes of doubt on my heart,
Be immersed not fully in my affection,
Love me if you feel inclined to, but without being dauntless
Keep not your love for me all along.

Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua

Durgeswar Sarma (b.1882-d.1961) was an Assamese poet and playwright.

Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.

Click here for the original Assamese poem.