Illustration by Arpan Roy

All the rivers are not Ganga

All the rivers are not Ganga coming close to Lord Shiva
Halda and Karnaphuli felt proud to meet with me

When the rivers become narrow, island grows, gods step away and
The thirst of fishes finds hopeless death on the sandy bank of river

Don’t put any more question to the waves of rivers
It will sprinkle again and again
Call the river raising both the hands, it won’t look back
It flows on its own speed and prosody

When I tell the story of fishes to the river
With grimace she says that the story of aunt is being told to the mom
Call the river to your chest
You will get the sound of its heart lubdublubdub

All the rivers are not Ganga to sting the heart with floods

Carcass-4

Lying flat such alone

Sometimes mimic death

Sweat streams narrow along the spine

Cold vision at your two unblinking eyes

Bone and marrow shake and shake …

Smelting

Wax asleep of memory melts on incitement
Mind melts when lover cries for nothing
Once soviet melted with the clocks of Dali
Non-Aryan eyes of youth, astonished seeing to melt

Chaplin’s shoes melt
In Asia
In Africa
Moon and coins melt in Europe
Tree of meditation melts by nirvana

About the Poet

Zillur Rahman is a Bangladeshi poet and essayist. He was born in 16th November in Chittagong. He appeared as a poet in eighties. His published books are: Anya Mantra, Shada Aundhokar, Uttar-Adhunikota: ae Shobuj Dangay, Aumrito Kotha, Adhunikottor Nandantattwa. He is involved with the little magazine “Lyric”.

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