A Poem by Emily Bronte

There are times when I come across a hitherto unknown poem that captivates my mind, and I am left numb on reading it out loud. Yesterday was such an occasion as I chanced upon the following poem by Emily Bronte.

The Old Stoic

Riches I hold in light esteem,

And Love I laugh to scorn;

And lust of fame was but a dream

That vanish'd with the morn:

And, if I pray, the only prayer

That moves my lips for me

Is, 'Leave the heart that now I bear,

And give me liberty!'

Yes, as my swift days near their goal,

'Tis all that I implore:

In life and death a chainless soul,

With courage to endure.

Eksho

haat peteche paonadar,

paona baki tar.

shude ashole pherot chai,

eksho taka chhar.


tv channel biggapon,

anondito shobar mon,

mitthe jhogra-jhati.

eksho loker bhirer majhe

aponmone haati.


jibon mane treadmill.

gacher patar chlorophyll

kokhon geche jhore.

drishti-bihin shobde shonar

eksho badur ore.

Label

A little baby is born,

And there's no time to waste.

She can cry if she wants to,

But she can't afford to rest.


Don't let go of any label,

Any stamp to put on her face-

Stamps of religion, class, and caste,

Of country and race.


She'll carry all the tags

Till the day she's dead.

Don't leave her any choice,

And there's no need to be afraid.


The world is a big cellar, and each one of us -

A bottle of wine.

Be proud of your labels -

For they taste divine.

Jonaki

chele-bela, chele-khela, bondhur preeti,

shohorer hakdak, haranor sriti,

jhoro haoa, bhije kak - chirodin beche thak -

pakhi-der bari fera - hashi-mukh kore,

beche thak shopnera - ghumer bhetore.



ami khali hete choli hati hati pai,

kichu asha, bhalo-basha dana jhaptai.

ekfali prithibi-te - kate din nibhrite,

ar beche thaki.

jekhanei thako dure - tumi theko roddure -

amar raater jonaki.

Kobita

kham-kheyali kath-berali,

paliye berai raat.

ghum hoyeche griho-tyagi,

nishuti tollat.

tik-tiki-der tik tik tik

shobdo korar bhishon batik,

ektu-khani shanti khoje

prochondo jhonjhat.



shopno-gulor mathar byamo -

edik-odik chai,

badhon-hara, karon-chara,

hajar ashongkai.

shun-shan shob shohor-toli,

shongo-pone shamle choli;

tobuo chena mukher michil

rasta atkai.

Somoy

sriti jotoi shanto shajish,

ajker din byasto-bagish --

chole bhobishhot-er dike;

pechon phire takai na je

kokhono jonantike.



bortoman thakuk shathe.

mon-kharaper baranda-te

ekla kaduk kal --

ondhokar-er ghupchi kone

bibhinno jonjal.



goto sheet-er shordi-kashi,

itihasher ottohashi

thakuk astakure.

ajker gan gaibo ami

ajke akash jure.

Kobita

chinir joler shorbot, ar gondho lebur shad,

ektukhani bhalo-basha, ektu oboshad,

kath-biralir khun-shuti, ar chorui pakhir dak -

akash-nile miliye dio, kanna-tuku thak.



ghorir katar boyosh bare ochin niruddeshe;

boyosh bara thambe jani dukhho-shukher sheshe.

bosta-pocha onko joto, mitthe shotorkota -

hariye jabe, shobar hobe - ononto Kolkata.