A Strange Boy
Poem by Sayeed Abubakar
An innocent boy leaving the lap of mother
Opened his fearful eyes in the war-trodden world
And asked in a depressed voice, 'Where have I come? '
I told him the name of the earth.
The boy looked at the corners of earth
And with wonder and pain, seeing the towns and paths
Full of corpses and heart-rending bloods
Further asked,
'Will you tell me how man lives in this hell? '
I said to him, 'Oh, it's a shame!
Where is man in this hell?
Translated from Bangla by Nazib Wadood
SPANISH VERSION
Un niño extraño
Un niño inocente saliendo del regazo de mama
Abrió sus temeroso ojos en el mundo pisoteado por la guerra,
Y dijo con voz deprimente, '¿De dónde vengo? '
Le dije el nombre de la tierra.
El niño miró en los rincones de la tierra
Y con asombro y dolor, viendo las ciudades y caminos
Llenosde cadáveres y sangrientos corazones desgarrados
Ademas dijo,
'Dime cómo el hombre vive en este infierno.
Yo le dije, 'Oh, es una pena!
¿Dónde estás viendo hombre en este infierno? '
Traducido por Alma Lorena Lopez Velazquez
Russian version:
Странный ребёнок - Сайед Абубакар
Невинное дитя, слезая с коленей мамы,
Открыл в страхе глаза в мир, охваченный войной,
И спросил боязливо: «Откуда я взялся? »
Я сказала, что это земля.
Малыш осмотрелся вокруг земли
И с удивлением и горечью, видя города и тропы
Полные трупов и кровоточащих сердец,
Спросил ещё:
«Скажи, как живут люди в этом аду? »
Я сказала ему: «Мне очень жаль!
Где ты увидел людей в этом аду? »
Перевёл Валентин Савин
Translated by Valentin Savin
一个奇异的男孩
赛义德•阿布•巴卡尔
在战争 蹂躏的世界，一个无辜的男孩
离开母亲的膝盖，睁大恐惧的眼睛
用沮丧的声音问，" ;我从哪里来？"
我告诉他，叫地球的地方
男孩看到地球的角落，城镇、 道路
横满死尸，鲜血让人胆战心惊
他很惊异，痛苦地
接着问，
"告诉我，人怎么能住在这样的地狱？"
我告诉他，"噢， 这是个耻辱！
地狱里哪有人？
（苏菲Sophy Chen汉译英 2016-01-25 ）
[It is a translation of Bengali poem 'Aschorjo Balok' taken from the
poet's first book 'Pronoyer Prothom Pap' (1996) ]
Topic(s) of this poem: satire, satire of social classes, war
Form: Prose Poem
Add this poem to MyPoemList
Poet's Notes about The Poem
Rating Card
Read this poem in other languages
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem »
I found this through Bharati Nayak's translation into Odia. This is a very fine poem. Sayeed.
Report ReplyIt is a matter of pleasure for me that you like the poem. Thank you, dear Tom.
Thank you, dear Tom. I feel happy that you like the poem.
excellent in translation
Report ReplyDear poet please provide your bengali version for us (Bangladeshi)
Surely. Thanks.
Judith Blatherwick your language skills are unparalleled
an interesting poem Sayeed, enjoyed thank you Alan
Report ReplyWelcome. I feel happy that you like the poem.
Can you recognize me? I am from Batbile, Durbadanga.It is I who made you a poet you told me. Now you a great poet of the world. I feel so happy.
Report Reply! Nothing gets lost ever!
Whole world has been a battlefield. It is painful. Nice poem.
Report ReplyYes. It was written in 1992 perhaps. Same scenerio!
Wonderful. True picture of the modern world.
Report ReplySame picture every where. No change.
Its Bangla version is more beautiful.
Report ReplyReally? To myself too.
Excellent piece of poem.
Report ReplyThanks God, you like the poem.
Thanks God, you like it.
A simple child who is far awy from violence, vice and wrath has been choked by seeing the town and paths full of corpses and heart-rending blood is heartfelt. It is s poem with touching depiction. A translation juxtaposed woud have been interesting. Thanks to Sayeed Abubakar for composition and to Nazib Wadood for translation.
Report ReplyGreat comment, dear poet. I feel happy that you like this poem.
A true poem in the so far as the so called modern 'witness poem' is concerned......we should care for terrorism and counter terrorism deeply now......thanks.
Report ReplyThank you, dear poet. I agree with you.
Infact the Earth or the world of humans is full of hate, jealousy, depression.Humans are very ungrateful, ransacking their self at themselves.So a new born child who is just born can be wondered why he has born if he knows about all these.
Report ReplyI like the poem Sir,
very authentic
Thank you, dear poet Pijush. Yes, you have rightly said.
The earth is a hell with flowers blooming and love spreading.
Report ReplyAlthough the poem is dark and depressed, it's strong, powerfull and enlightening.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks, dear poet. I like your comment very much.
It's a very nice poem whenever I read the poem I can easily feel the real picture of the ongoing world..............
Report ReplyThanks.
very nice and meaningful whenever I read this poem I can easily visualize the real condition of the world.
Report ReplyRight.
'A Strange Boy' is actually a strange poem. Congratulation Sayeed Abubakar for its translation in five foreign language.
Report ReplyThanks, dear Masuma
Odia translation in English letters
Report Reply- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ascharya Baalaka
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maatru kola chhadi
Bhitatrasta nayane, chahen niriha baalaka
Dekhi yuddhagrastha dharaku
Pachare se hoi bhitakantha
Kuha Mataa, Keunthaku mu aasichhi?
Uttarare mu kahe
Aasichhu tu putra
Ei dhhara prustha.
Drusti haani chaturdige
Dekhe sei niriha baalaka
Raasta ghaata, gali o argali
Lal raktare ranjita
Kudha kudha saba ra
Hrudaya bidaraka drushya patta
Niriha baalaka, kare prasna
Kuha Maata
Ei narkare Manisa
Kipari kare baasa
Pratyuttare kahe Mu
Lajja laage mote
Ki kahibi re Dhana
Manisa te kahin ethi
E je narak
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Translated by Bharati Nayak
I am grateful to poet Bharati Nayak, my dearest Didi
Oh it is a shame!
Report ReplyWhere is man in this hell? - - - War, terrorism, bloodshed in the name of class, creed and religion have sucked out humanism from humanity and turned this earth a hell.Children will only face a bleak future as fear, darkness, death and trauma will rule their psyche.Thanks for sharing this heart touching poem.
Excellent comment. Your comment inspires me to go ahead, Didi.
It is the Chinese Version of A Strange Boy by Sophy Chen
Report Reply一个奇异的男孩
赛义德•阿布•巴卡尔
在战争 蹂躏的世界，一个无辜的男孩
离开母亲的膝盖，睁大恐惧的眼睛
用沮丧的声音问，; 我从哪里来？
我告诉他，叫地球的地方
男孩看到地球的角落，城镇、 道路
横满死尸，鲜血让人胆战心惊
他很惊异，痛苦地
接着问，
告诉我，人怎么能住在这样的地狱？
我告诉他，噢， 这是个耻辱！
地狱里哪有人？
Thanks to Sophy Chen, the Chinese poet
So this is my second Abubakar poem to comment on. I can see I won’t be disappointed! This poem reads like a small tightly woven short story or fable. I think there is a lesson to be learned here. In the first stanza, I am introduced to the birth of an innocent boy who is leaving the lap of his mother. ‘/Where have I come? ’/ asks the boy. The speaker answers, ‘/I told him the name of the earth./ Who is ‘I’ in this poem? Is it God, is it his mother, or is it his father? I tend to think God may be speaking, but the voice is that of a creator. In the second stanza, as the boy looks around at a horrific, bloodied landscape ‘/full of corpses and heart-rending blood, ’/ he asks another question, “Will you tell me how man lives in this hell? ’/ Given that this is what an American might term the ‘million dollar question’ or the question that everyone asks but for which there is no answer, there is a pause in the poem, the stanza ends, and the answer, which is really no answer, but another question from the creator, comes forth, separated from the rest of the poem. Abubakar writes, “/’Oh, it’s a shame! // Where is man in this hell? ’/ So what does this mean? Personally, I see it as man has ‘lost’ himself on earth. Mankind is not living up to his fullest potential that he was given when his soul was placed into human form and he emerged from the ‘lap of his mother.’ This is the kind of poem that makes one stop and think. The writing is simple and straightforward, yet, the philosophy is complex as it asks questions that can never be easily answered or solved. The poet has a role to make the reader stop and think. This poem does just that. Thanks for sharing. Peace Sayeed!
Report ReplyTThanks, dear Pamela, for your excellent and elaborate comment. I always like your comment. Really you are a great critic of poetry. God bless you, Pamela. Peace be upon you too.
Russian version:
Report ReplyA Strange Boy - Poem by Sayeed Abubakar
Странный ребёнок – Сайед Абубакар
Невинное дитя, слезая с коленей мамы,
Открыл в страхе глаза в мир, охваченный войной,
И спросил боязливо: «Откуда я взялся? »
Я сказала, что это земля.
Малыш осмотрелся вокруг земли
И с удивлением и горечью, видя города и тропы
Полные трупов и кровоточащих сердец,
Спросил ещё:
«Скажи, как живут люди в этом аду? »
Я сказала ему: «Мне очень жаль!
Где ты увидел людей в этом аду? »
Перевёл Валентин Савин
Translated by Valentin Savin
What a surprise! I am grateful to you for your translation of my poem in Russian language.