The River Story

Binod Chandra Borah

The river came flowing
Along the hooded boat
The hood on the boat,
The river on the boat,
A heron on the poop,
The evening resting on the heron’s back.

The boatman sings a bihu song

In a lightning flash I remembered you
I was not destined to meet you
But your eyes are so terribly attractive
You pierced me with a lance.

Under the hood 
The river flows on silently.

Translated by Ananda Bormudoi

Dr. Binod Chandra Borah is an Assamese poet and writer based in Dibrugarh, Assam. He has one collection of poems to his credit.

Click here for the original Assamese poem.

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