Shadow-Portrait Poem by Pradip Saikia

IN FRONT OF THE SELF-PORTRAIT PAINTED BY SEVEN FINGERS

In the hollowness of the night
Suddenly
Twitter of a bird

I woke up
In the deep of a hazy pair of eye-glasses
Like a child wobbling in water

Under my pillow
Cigarette
Agitated lighter
"The moon and the Six pence"
Gold plated quiver
Pen and arrow

Fumbling
I burnt a finger
In my hurry
The tip of the candle blew away

I just extended my step
Through a bridge of smoke
To a floating meadow

The scarecrow with the earthen pot head
Scared away the
Large hooded fiery Hamadryad
Supersonic voice of bats


Only one hand
Of my soul
Inside the khaki kameez

# Translated from Assamese to English by: Bibekananda Chowdhury