warmth of a home

I want to watch a house burn down someday.
A mansion void of living beings,
yet full to the brim with memories
that make it a treasured home.
I want to watch the steel-grey smoke
skim through pages of every book,
each photo album and diary,
the refrigerator’s sticky notes
that were long since lost in the white noise.
I want to watch curtains burn
like they blew too close to the setting sun
last evening before the stars fell out of the sky
pitter-pattering onto the red roof tiles
like a racing heartbeat.
I want to watch the fire breathe:
the flames inhale the vacuum
left by lullabies of many mothers
through centuries of sleepless nights,
then exhale in crackling embers.
I want to watch the window glass
shatter like hope, jagged
like impatient slips of tongue
as they lie like fireproof diamonds
on the skeletoned floor.
I want to watch the doors
as they stop holding their breath
only because the crackling
infectious laughter of the flames
pierced through their lungs.
Let the wallpaper come back to life:
fleur de lis finally sway in the wind,
buds that bloom crimson, then fall
like plucked camelia petals
that scatter into the sky.
Let the bookshelves light up the ceiling
let every page come alive
to tell its tale in blue-gold-crimson shadowplay,
then fade away like daylight at dusk,
Let kitchens burn warmer than any hot
delicacy, stewed with hope, baked with love,
swallowed with well-meaning
indifference;
forgiveness that forever waited
beside the ice cream in the freezer
now burns, dancing over the tips of the flames
in a lovely uncanny ballet.
Let the staircase burn, let it relax
onto the floor, free from its eternal purgatory.
Let it all burn down like a house of cards,
and while the charred ground glows with embers
like a dragon curled up around its treasure,
let’s wait in silence until the great gods of history
come by and swallow down all that is left
in a single mouthful.

-T. E. Pyrus

I stand afar (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Debata Jene Dure Roi Danraye (দেবতা জেনে ডুরে রোই দন্রযে) by Rabindranath Tagore]

Knowing you as god, I stand afar,
I do not show affection knowing you as my own.
Knowing you as father I seek blessings at your feet,
I do not take your hands knowing you as a friend
Where you descended as mine with your simple love,
I did not hold you in my heart with joy and welcome you as my companion.
Brother, you are god, yet one among my brothers,
yet I have never spared them a glance
Why haven’t I divided my wealth among my brothers and filled your handful,
I have not eagerly shared in everyone’s joys and sorrows
to come to stand before you.
Why have I not surrendered my soul to tireless pursuit, plunging into the ocean of life.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

I have known you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Sukher Majhe Tomay Dekhechhi (সুখের মাঝে তোমায় দেখেছি) by Rabindranath Tagore]

In the middle of happiness, I have seen you,
In grief, I have received you with my entire soul.
In secrecy, I have lost you,
When I found you, I lost you again in the elation of meeting you.

Throughout my life, on the strings of my veena,
you have plucked tunes again and again.
And so, in the melodies of my various notes,
I have taken your touch into my soul.

I have no fear anymore
if my tale here comes to an end.

In new light and new darkness
If you take me to a new sea shore,
Even so, you still are my “you”–
I will get to know you anew.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

glory to you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Jaya Taba Bichitra Ananda Hey Kobi (জয় তব বিচিত্র আনন্দ, হে কবি) by Rabindranath Tagore]

Glory to your wonderous joy, oh poet,
Glory to your compassion
Glory to your dreadful ferocity that destroys all tarnish
Glory to your everlasting life, glory to your mortality
Glory to your grief, glory to your solace.
Glory to your fully awakened light
Glory to your dark and dense terrifying night
Glory to your sweet loving unions glory to your unbearable pain of separation.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

your song (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Pratidina Taba Gatha (প্রতিদিন তব গাথা) by Rabindranath Tagore]

Every day I will sing your song melodiously.
You give me the lyrics, you give me the tune,
If you linger in my mind on your bloomed lotus seat,
If you fill my soul to the brim with your love,
Every day I will sing your song melodiously.

If you listen to the song staying close before me,
If your gracious gaze blesses me with its nectar,
If you rest your affectionate hand over sorrow,
If you erase vanity from happiness,
Every day I will sing your song melodiously.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

a garland of evening clouds (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Tumi Sandhyar Meghomala (তুমি সন্ধ্যার মেঘমালা) by Rabindranath Tagore]

You are a garland of evening clouds, you are my fervent devotion,
the wanderer of my solitary skies.
Blending the sweetness of my own soul, I have created you,
You are mine, only mine, the wanderer of my solitary life.

With the melody coursing through my heart and blood, I have stained your feet in vivid hues.
the wanderer of my twilight skies.
I have painted your lips with nectar and poison, crushing my own joy and grief.
You are mine, only mine, the wanderer of my solitary dreams.

With the lines of my enchanted dreams, I have decorated your eyes,
the wanderer of my mesmerised eyes.
I have intertwined my music with every single part of you.
You are mine, only mine, the wanderer of my beautiful mortality.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

the two river-shores (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Hridayer E kul O kul (হৃদয়ের এ কূল ও কূল) by Rabindranath Tagore]

The two river-shores that line my heart are brimming, oh dear friend,
and turbulent tears overflow.
No matter where I look, dear friend,
I recognize nothing anymore.
It has drawn my soul in and flooded the brimming river;
So fierce is the tempest today, my friend,
No bindings can restrain now.
Why did my innocent youth fall into such a state?
What suddenly blew in with which sudden gust of wind?
My heart is sombre all alone, my bewildered soul is forlorn.
I fathom not this craving, nor this torment.
How, then, must I quench this agony?

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

treasure you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Tomay Jatane Rakhibo Hey  (তোমায় জতনে রাখিব হে) by Rabindranath Tagore]

I will treasure you, I will keep you close
I will enchant you with the fragrance of my flowers of love
I will decorate myself with my love for you
Charmer of hearts, I will eagerly await you
And you shall come willingly; how would you resist this offering?
You shall bloom a sweet smile, and stay in the skies of my heart.

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

your infinite blessings (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Nitya Tomar Je Phul Phote by Rabindranath Tagore]

Flowers always bloom in your floral forest.
Why won’t you share their sweet nectar with my soul?
Your assembly meets in your courtyard everyday.
Yet, why won’t you let your worshipper sing for you there?

The world blossoms as a lotus at the touch of your feet.
It gazes up at you, wonderstruck.
My heart blossoms as a lotus too,
Why won’t you let it gaze forever up at you?

The sun, the moon and stars flow across the sky,
Your tireless rivers flow, racing to the sea
And so, why won’t you make my life
flow eternally in search for the ocean of ambrosia?

Just as you fill joy in the songs of birds,
and fragrace in the bosom of flowers.
why won’t you fill my seeking heart
With your divine blessings?

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]

those who seek (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Shunechhe Tomar Nam by Rabindranath Tagore]

They have heard your name, the anguished and the forsaken,
They have arrived at your door, may they not leave empty-handed.

Those who cry from despair, may their tears be gently dried,
May they find courage, the souls that tremble with fear.

Countless are the poor, the unfortunate, and the homeless,
The souls, weathered by misery, that cry all night and day,

The ones who are drowning in sin, whom should they seek?
Where, where is the path, won’t you reveal the way?

Translation by T. E. Pyrus

[This lyrical poem is a song from the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore.]