Two And A Half Century Poem by Rahman Henry

The elite Cemetery. Piercing away Charles Eliot's dead body
Thousands of elephants coming up; They are running towards
Pilkhana*— but unable to cross Paribag** residential area;
How can they do? The crossing bridge is carried by a train
On its roof; The elephants are at a loss, reforming as
Wooden toys reach at the *Boishakhi Mela—

The last day of *Chaitra. The day of cruelty which is called
*Chadak Puja. *Navin Pahan of *Pike Para, piercing his body
With nails, swirling from a high pole, not only two and
A half round— but for two and a half century,
He is swirling, swirling and swirling— nonstop—


*

1. Pilkhana: The stable of elephants (here, The Head Quarters of Borderguard Bangladesh(BGB) , located in Dhaka City):

2. Paribag: a residential area of Dhaka City;

3. Boishakhi Mela: a new year fair in Bangladesh;

4. Chaitra: The last month of the year in Bengali Calendar;

5. Chadak Puja: a Hindu religious ceremony, observed on the last day of the Bangla month of Chaitra;

6. Navin Pahan: Name of a Santal community leader;

7. Pike Para: Name of a Santal Village