The Caravan Of Sleep Poem by Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

The caravan of sleep waits outdoor

My eyes are already red

They see without despite themselves

The caravan calls me

My eyes are closed

Now I am a captive

The caravan carries me off along the silk road

Now I am crossing the desert of Taklamakan

There are no birds in the skies

There is no trace of life on the earth

Sand sand and sand

Sand sand and sand everywhere

The same sight everywhere

And there is no longer any north or south, east or west

The devils of heat gambol here

preying on whatever life could be there

Oh God! Rescue me from sleep

I donot want to go to China any more

I donot have any longing for silk

I donot want to visit the kingdom of Emperor Wu

who is efficient but cruel

I want to alight from the caravan