The Curse

When I shall be no more You will suffer, I promise, Cursed, friendless and alone. Then you will ask the evening star about me, And with my picture engrave, fin your heart Will roam through forests and seas And around hills and dales, Weeping many a desolate tear. Then you will realise, my dear, Then you will search for me desperately Far and near. When your soul will tremble At some one's familiar touch, And your heart will gladden Imagining my presence by your bed, You will suddenly wake up with a start From your sleep, And discover with a freezing heart That it was nothing but an empty dream. With eager arms spread You will advance to embrace, But there will be no trace of me. Instead, you will meet An emptiness, dull and dreary. In anguish you will close your eyes, Then my darling will you realise. Trying to sing You will find your voice choked with tears. And, all around, people will whisper About the song, taught by that stranger, And then you will remember me, And the fond caresses I bestowed on you. Thinking of those nights Your hard and glittering eyes Will overflow with brimming tears Then will you regret your past deceptions, Then will you realise the pang of separation. When your garden will grow fragrant With daisies, jasmine and ivy bowers You will suddenly think of my grave Covered with snow-white flowers, And your fingers, busy in making a garland Will suddenly grow1hesitant and numb. Your smiling face will turn pale and wan, And tears will swim in your eyes, Then, my dear, will you realise. Autumn wind will come again, And the lovely dewy nights will reappear All, all will remain Save this traveller, bound for the eternal night. Friends will gather by your side. And the love will take you in his arms, But suddenly his touch Will bring to your mind The touch of another one. Turning the joyous moment poisonous and bitter. That is my cruse for you, sweetheart dear. Winter nights will come again But I will return no more. Yet you will remember the time When resting your head on my loving arm You quietly slept, with only contempt in your heart. The memory of those days Will make your bed one of singing thorns, I forecast. The tide will come in the river again. Again the boat will float en a pleasure cruise With gay and loving company. And yet, the memory of other voyages, Of a boat speeding by the dark coast, And of me sitting close beside Will haunt you like a ghost relentlessly. Then will Your tears mingle with your sighs, Then you will realise.. When Your friend will be imprisoned like me You will shed bitter tears, When he will treat You negligently Your happiness will lie in ruins Then will You find Your days Cheerless, dreary and lying. Then will you realise, how very wrong You were about me. The rises will blossom again Again the stars will shine, And the pale moon reign in the sky: Season will follow season in regular order,. But for you There will be no pleasure. You will only cry and bewail your lost treasure. The storm will come, All tornado will appear, All ties will break asunder. And your tiny cottage will tremble in fear. Then you will remember him Who will not be by your side. And you will hanker for his caresses, my dear. At that hour will you realise. At that hour will you regret your profuse lies. The wound in my bosom That once hurt you so.. Would perhaps appear sweet to. you now. Tired and weary and forlorn at last You might now seek it yourself, And then shall I reappear. And who knows You will probably throw yourself In my arms in a pleasant swoon And worship me in humility. Then will you know, my dear, Then will the final truth be simple and clear. [Translation: Kabir Chowdhury]