Dialogues
It seems as if the frail-looking Gandhi
would trip over and fall down somewhere,
As if his handstaff would loosen from his grip,
Yet he happens to be an ideal figure of this world,
A strong man
This is a view, a flawless discernment of nature
An enriched dialogue rummaged about by human thoughts
The flow of a supreme motion
In the bosom of which glow the inexhaustible flair of time.
All things aren't always pleasant
At times they remain dangling half-cuddled as bats
Episodes, encumbered with distress, may take shape
The roar of the ocean cannot be disarmed or put beyond query
I may not find the epical form or the pathway of time
Everything spreads piggybacking upon time
As a banyan.
No matter whatever be mentioned about melody and rhythm, the intents take possession of their own spaces
As any piece of granite they cannot be broken apart
This could be the sign of our defeat or incompetence
Perhaps there'd be a re-assessment
With the query -- whose dialogues were these ?
The ambrosial dialogues carried forth by time
Come to an abrupt halt beside the insensate Buddha,
The question of consciousness again
If the ladder of ascent were to collapse again midway ?
Perhaps a re-assessment or a new uplift of life-radiant messages
Would resonate beside us.
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Khagen Saikia is an Assamese poet, novelist and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He has six collections of poems and six novels to his credit.
Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.