Shukla Iftekhar was born on 24th September 1954 in Chittagong. She was a former Professor at government colleges. Her published works are: Dirghadin Bristihiin, Draupaudi Premikera and Samporker Swarlipi. Let’s read some of her poems from the book Dirghadin Bristihiin.
Fortunate
Is life great, or death?
Which one is more powerful?
Everyone understands.
He who understands it not,
how fortunate he is!
Home
At times it seems,
I can go home this time,
Unfriending the city, home at heaven—
I only slept dreaming,
The road home is broken…
I Will Go
I will go, I will – Even if you ask not.
The tide was powerful in your ‘No’ of yesterday.
It is flowing in me today—
I will go, even if you ask not.
Question
I asked, ‘Are you doing fine, or have you forgotten me?’
‘You? Are you doing fine, or have you forgotten me?’
The replies are playing ‘wait- wait’ still today.
The Dawn
Every night ends not in the dawn,
Appears to be the dawn –
When the mistakes are enthroned in the living room.
Sunshine
In a verandah where the sunshine comes, I don’t sit there
In a verandah where my comfort lies, there sunshine comes not.
Life has passed in hiding and seek, I search not anymore.
Love
Love is a charter of freedom, beg it not—
My blank verse you are, covered be not in rhyme.
Translated by Alamgir Mohammad; the translator is a university teacher.
