If I Keep On Telling It Will Be Daybreak Poem by Prem Narayan Nath

I change myself into certain events that issue forth
from the depths of floating time
plucking an undecomposed flower
woven into the tapestry of my heart
I stick it into thorns of a dream deer

From deep inner recesses life comes out
as if the Sun has taken the wrong course
Hopping and hopping like a sparrow
as if a river has lost itself in a desert

A poison has dug its way
to the depth of the bosom
It is looking for life
It is looking for a lost melody
A forlorn listless soul
The dancing Nataraj*, playing light and shadow
Severe indomitable beautiful terrible
People have scattered in rhythmic concord

There is darkness alone
People are creeping along in darkness
Blood, flower and sweat are growing
and taking root through darkness,
Darkness is the rain of vacuity
translucent endless thorny death

That night adorned with ornaments
has remained traceless for many days
The month of Aghoon* is leaning against
the clusters of milking rice

The water of the river is entering into pitchers
accompanied by Bhatiyali* songs
So many days have passed
Those fiendish festivals of darkness
Those sleepless nights
Who has forgotten the sorrow of living with outstretched hands?

The clouds moving onwards want to come back
Priyambada, if I keep on telling it will be daybreak.
The clouds as light as butterflies at the rosy evenings will turn to rain
in your eyes.
But better still let it remain as it is;
let us put on the protective shields of
quietness and remain silent
all through the night.




Aghoon: the eighth month of Assamese calendar

Bhatiyali: an Assamese musical tune