Joy Goswami’s Iconic Poem ‘Premik’, Translated Into English

You can read the original poem in Bengali by Joy Goswami titled ‘প্রেমিক’ here.

#Translation #Bengali

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The book that you had given me once to summon clouds 

On opening that today, I found it flooded under waist–deep water

On the next page, a river has emerged

meandering across the distant bend.

You had given me a book filled with plants

Today, its pages have been overgrown by a thick forest

The tall plants block the sunlight from touching the floor.

The book which you gave me to learn waterfalls

From there, today, a wide stream is cascading down

throughout the day. 

Even the book, where I had put that white feathered-bookmark 

you gifted me once, there 

I see thousands of birds flying, perching, swimming. 

All the books that you gave have become deserts, mountain ranges,

And transformed into cosmic suns, stretched horizons …

And today some friends are coming to visit my library,

To see how far I have studied! What shall I show them? 

With what face shall I stand before them? 


TP1 Aadrit Banerjee edited

Aadrit Banerjee

Aadrit, born and brought-up in Kolkata, loves to dream! Having pursued his undergraduate degree in English Hons. from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, he is passionate about writing, Aadrit has several accolades to his name in the fields of creative writing and journalism. He takes a great interest in studying Tagore, academic research, and poetry and loves to eat, sleep, doodle and paint.


Note: If you find any ways to make this translation better, please write to us at theblahcksheep@gmail.com

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