KUSHAL DUTTA (India)

Kushal Dutta is a journalist at Dainik Asam, Guwahati. His publicationa include : Sonali Igal, Kathopakathan, Sahashrabddar Alekh-Lekh, Tokora Charair Bah, Electronic Charai, Dainik Batori Hatputhi and Jnani Garakhiyai Jane Umanit Baha Charair Bah Kiya Bhangibo Nalage. He is a regular contributor of all ajor Assamese literary magazines and dailies like Gariyashi, Dainik Asam, Axomiya Khabar etc. He has also participated in the 51st Akashvani Kavi Sammelan.

The Hijol* Tree’s Shade

Her fault was she had been to the river to look at herself
The god of the river took her down to the water and that’s thatThe one who jumped in to bring her from the water
Had a boat of ejar* wood and his calves too were ejar-hued

Leaving boat and oar meandering under water
The light house of truth glimmered in the distance easy as a straight line

Exhausted swimming as they got out of water on to land
Under the shade of the hijol by the river they looked at their eyes

The colour of breath under water was green on land it’s like land
The shade of the hijol hides all unwritten annals of the earth

* The Indian oak, Barringtonia acutangula.
* A species of timber tree, Lagerstroemia reginae.

– Translated from Assamese by Pradip Acharya

Phagun*

Quiet and forlorn

The fragrant yellow mustard pollens
Spread in the air of the noonday flute

Frenzied in the fragrance
A school of colourful fish
Through twigs and leaves
Of straight slender trees
Trample over the flowering mustard patch
Like a lightning strike