Alokeranjan Dasgupta

translated from the original Bengali by
Bhismadev Chakrabarti

I look at villages and
I see my mother
As a child.

I look at hills in the villages and
I see my love
As a child.

Waterfalls spring from the heart of these hills
I look, and I see
Each home that was left behind.

The river stretches beyond the waterfall
Watched over by a wooden bridge, longing
I look, and I see
Noakhali,
                          the bridge that did not bear, and
                          the god that did not yield.

Published December, 2012

Translated by Bhismadev Chakrabarti

Illustrated by Ananya Das. Author of several books and an illustrator, Ananya Das is based in Pennsylvania.