I Danced with Tagore

Tagore is considered Shakespeare of Bengali literature. This is an imaginary dance with him

I Danced with Tagore

Arrey Rabindranath, remember? I danced with you?

raised half-folk ding-dong around my fingers on monochord

from crowded Free School Street to the clove market of Sadar St

while walking along you said I am coming from Silaidaha

on my way to Alumuddin Office.

On your lips made of fire and water there was still

trace of Holy Song what heat what heat you threw away the

gabardine robe I found leeches on your pink person

there are lots of leeches in rainy Jorasanko

At the whiff of mutton kebab from Selim’s shop, What are

the muslims cooking, when you asked he replied, ‘Don’t you

know? Its bull meat! Why don’t you give a try? ‘

In the tea stall bald-headed goat-bearded Vladimir Illich

golden hair Vera Ivanova Jasulich and like your silver beard

Axelrod and Martov whose cheek was quivering

you asked, Where are their torsoes?

Since I was unable to stop my dance you wanted to

donate me your monochord as whoever got a chance has taken

away dances from your feet and now even during daytime

halogen lamps are on what joy what joy

Your three-legged chair is lying on Sadar Street balcony

you had broken it while making tumultous love, it is written

in your Autobiography with year & date what love what love

The horse of your carriage is singing like a cuckoo

grandpa Rabindranath and all those spawned from your

sperm are eating fried horse-grams from the floor

What are these? I replied, ‘crows’. What are those

called? I said, ‘You better ask Selim, he raises gangland

money in this area.’ What divinity what divinity.

(Translated from his original Bengali poem “Ki Bishaya Ki Bishaya”)