ASMANI – By Jasim
UddinThere is a girl, if you all want to meet ..called Asmani
Go to Rasulpur, the little house of Rohimuddin.
Touch of slight rain, and the house grieves..
Touch of slight wind may rock its core
Asmani and her loved ones yet live there for years and more.
Never had she had a full stomach.
Showing ribs in her cage
are witness of her starving days
Her sweet face once used to lit up as bright candle light
till cruel fate of poverty came along, slapped across her face in spite.
till cruel fate of poverty came along, slapped across her face in spite.
Dress she wore, a hundred of stitches on a hundred of hole
they slyly laugh back at her, mocks her skin of gold.
Twinkle of laughter and joy has faded from her bee black two eyes,
now they are brimming of tears...pouring with deep sighs
they slyly laugh back at her, mocks her skin of gold.
Twinkle of laughter and joy has faded from her bee black two eyes,
now they are brimming of tears...pouring with deep sighs
 |
Her flute like voice is no more, loud cry beat it to death
never had it had a chance to sing a tune of sound...with deep breath.
The lotus pond covered of moss and tadpoles
lies near Asmani’s ‘nest’,
where mosquitoes breed
poisonous seeds of malaria germs
In its water the Asmanis cook, drink, get fed.
Fever accompanies daily
her worm full of stomach swell
with no money to call a doctor
to make her feel well.
They live in two different world
‘Khosmani’( the happy one) lives above..
and Asmani just lives.
So,tell me my sweetheart
whom will you make yours with greater love?
******************************************
*A big part of my childhood read was occupied with folk stories, poems of ‘Polli Kobi’ JasimUddin. The true essence of rich bangle history at its best. The poem ‘Asmani’ is very close to me, I always wanted to translate it. There are many translations of this poem, none are as close, heart felt as the orignal. Anyone who can read and understand bangla will get what i'm talking about.Jasim Uddin was a magician who used the most easy words to explain the hardest stories, sorrows.I hope I did even a bit of justice to it. It's not just a simple poem, but a message. The heart breaking story tells us about this little girl called Asmani. Asmani symbolizes thousands of poverty stricken little girls with crushed dreams, broken spirits. A true picture of reality, which he portrayed eighty-eighty five years ago and shamefully it still applies to many little girls, many broken hearts. At the end the poet asked, who will we accept with greater love? That shows the deep emotion and a cry out from the poet on their behalf.
never had it had a chance to sing a tune of sound...with deep breath.
The lotus pond covered of moss and tadpoles
lies near Asmani’s ‘nest’,
where mosquitoes breed
poisonous seeds of malaria germs
In its water the Asmanis cook, drink, get fed.
Fever accompanies daily
her worm full of stomach swell
with no money to call a doctor
to make her feel well.
They live in two different world
‘Khosmani’( the happy one) lives above..
and Asmani just lives.
So,tell me my sweetheart
whom will you make yours with greater love?
******************************************
*A big part of my childhood read was occupied with folk stories, poems of ‘Polli Kobi’ JasimUddin. The true essence of rich bangle history at its best. The poem ‘Asmani’ is very close to me, I always wanted to translate it. There are many translations of this poem, none are as close, heart felt as the orignal. Anyone who can read and understand bangla will get what i'm talking about.Jasim Uddin was a magician who used the most easy words to explain the hardest stories, sorrows.I hope I did even a bit of justice to it. It's not just a simple poem, but a message. The heart breaking story tells us about this little girl called Asmani. Asmani symbolizes thousands of poverty stricken little girls with crushed dreams, broken spirits. A true picture of reality, which he portrayed eighty-eighty five years ago and shamefully it still applies to many little girls, many broken hearts. At the end the poet asked, who will we accept with greater love? That shows the deep emotion and a cry out from the poet on their behalf.
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