- I didn’t want to be a bird;
The times cowardly shackled,
Utterance of walls, histories & silence born in machines,
Meaningless mimicries of wonder,
And the reminiscence of prayers-
In this earth made me think that I want to be a bird.
But,
I didn’t want to be a bird.
Nor the clear skies, neither the naked foggy horizons-
They are mere feverish deliriums.
On the peak of hills filled with ignorance,
I wanted to be a pair of bold eyes, glittering-
With questions; and a human so high.
2.
Let the hearts sleep.
Let the hearts sleep.
Let the hearts sleep.
They are burned at a stretch, those faces wereleeches,
Sucked the hearts dry, and kept them at hearth.
Till death, why must they suffer alive? Rather-
Let the hearts sleep.
Let the hearts sleep.
3.
The man who stares at fire, you cannot trust him.
You cannot trust you.
That is why a sky is laid open over a wooden doll.
That sky is a trickster. I will not expose you to it.
It keeps a sharp sense in its sleeves.
I am scared! I am scared!
My glasses seem dirty, yet unwiped. Everything’s plastic.
And, it’s shadowy evening. No light at these walls.
Now, come on!Set a fire!
Shahriar Ashraf was born in 20th December, 1997 in Bogra, currently studying BA Hons in English at Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka. He is interested in learning and exploring new things and likes to be engaged with different sort of activities. He is a voracious reader and an avid literature enthusiast as well. He aspires to become a writer.
Brief write-up:
I had initially written these poems in Bangla and decided to translate them to English later on. The poems reflect my insights on all that I have observed, whether they be acceptable to the common eyes or not. For instance, birds are very widely regarded as a symbol of freedom. But as it appears to me, humans should be the symbol of their own freedom, throughtheir endeavours of unchaining themselves.
Again, people’s distrust has transcended their own words, and has spread to the skies, and the air, and every conceivable progression of thoughts. And their suspicion has become an epidemic which I believe had been implanted rigorously.
On portrayal of all these observations, I was often dependent on vague imageries for our reminiscent nature is not well constructed at all, rather I believe they are scattered and domineered by the things we desire for.
However, I found a very few people still believing in justice nowadays. But, what they suffer for this particular belief is immeasurable. I can merely hope that these hearts will rest after their lifelong burning as hopes, and there will be more hearts as these in consequence for never to let the world drown into darkness.
