Taslima Nasrin Poems

(to Sumit Chakrabarty)
India is not just India, even from before I was born,
India has been my history.
My history, carved into two by daggers of animosity and hatred, running breathlessly towards uncertain possibilities,
...

The garment girls, walking together,
look like hundreds of birds flying in Bangladesh's sky.

Garments girls, returning to their slums at midnight,
are met by street-vagabonds who grab a few takas from the girls,
...

If you tell the truth, people get angry,
don't tell the truth anymore, Taslima
This time is not the time of Gallelio.
This is twenty first century,
...

You're a girl
and you'd better not forget
that when you cross the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you.
...

Just let them be free to do as they please…
...

Human nature is such
That if you sit, they'll say, 'No, don't sit.'
If you stand, 'What's the matter? Walk!
And if you walk, 'Shame on you, sit down.!
...

At the dinner party everyone
Held a glass of champagne or
White wine in their hand.
...

You are my love's granary,
I pour out my water-steeped fertility
unstintingly, to stop does nor occur to me.
...

For some years now, I have been standing quite close to death, almost face to face,
Standing dumb before my mother, my father, some dear people,
For some years now.
...

Away from home,
Away from my dear cat, my books and papers, my friends,
Away from my life,
...