Poetry
The Black Cat
This is a translation by Md. Abu Zafor of Bimal Guha’s “Kalo Biral” from the collection ‘E Kon Matal Nritya' (first published in 2022)
Design: Maisha Syeda
In the hospital cabin—
At midnight
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. My sleep broke with a death-groan
In an utmost attempt to tackle me
A wrestling started inside the chest
As if the last long breath were out!
In my weary hospital cabin that day
A queer cat was hurling a fiery look at me!
The more I tried to ignore it as an illusion
The more I felt its grip and
the whole world shudders in my brain!
How can that queer cat enter my cabin?
How could it dodge the eyes of ever vigilant guards?
Or, is that queer animal a delusion, a deception!
With what magic the cat emitted lightning from its mouth
And tumbled into my bed!
I looked agape…
Md. Abu Zafor is Professor, Department of English, Jagannath University, Dhaka.
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