Dilara Hafiz (1955- ) received her B.A. Honours, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Bangla literature, which she teaches in a government college. She is married to the poet Rafiq Azad.

So Many Days on the Road

So many days you made me wander on the road.
Though you said we’d share an address
so far you haven’t given even that.
For some reason or for none at all

you made me wander on the road.
The length of my life remains
confined in your collection of golden keys,
sickly from morning till noon
and tearful in the perplexing
time of afternoon . . .

I’ve kept within me
some of your conversations suffused with memory,
a few roses tinged deep red,
two or three books of poetry
– Sunil’s or Shakti’s, I don’t remember which –
you gave me on my birthday.
But I want to give them back to you
on this solitary night.

– Translated by Carolyne Wright with Latifa Ahmed and the author