Amalkanti Poem by Suvrajit Barua

Amalkanti, my school-mate,
we read together.
He entered at class tardily,
never completed his lesson.
If our master asked him,
He became dumb
And looked into window surprisingly;
All were upset for him.
Some of us wanted to be a master,
some were doctor, some were lawyer.
Only Amalkanti, who didn't want to be all that.
He wanted to be sunshine!
The modest sunshine, after heavy rain
Which touches the leaf like innocent smile.

Now some of us have been masters,
Somebody has been doctor, lawyer.
But Amalkanti couldn't be sunshine
He is working in a dark printing press.
He comes to meet with me occasionally,
We take tea, talk about lives
Then says, 'Let's go.'
I let him forward to the door.

If our dreams have changed with each other
It doesn't hurt like that.
Our master friends could be doctor or lawyer
Our doctor friends could be lawyer or master
Our lawyer friends could be master or doctor;
Nobody will be suffered.

Nevertheless, we've met our goals without Amalkanti;
Amalkanti could not be sunshine.
He thinks about sunshine
He thinks, thinks and thinks
Amalkanti, who has wished to be sunshine.


Translated by Suvrajit
(Main Poet is Nirendranath)