Erotomania






































Erotomania

Onek koster dame jibon giyechhe jene
Mulotoi valobasa milone molin hoy, birohe ujjal

Trans:  [Life now knows at the cost of long hardship
              Love faints at union rather glitters at estrangement]
                                                                                                                - Helal Hafiz

Never you know but
I love you unknown!
You, not the beauty
of Venus, Lakshmi or Aphrodite;
nor the Ukrainian blue moon
crawls into your eyes;
but, I love you again
You never know!

Before the closed eyes
thousands I might kneel down
thousands I might hold
your face between the palms
hold your hand on my hand!
Yes, I love you
You never know!

How could I dare to unfold
my heart to you, a Hindu
before a girl; when a Muslim
I am before a human! And
I could never dare to go
beyond the rites are set,
beyond the all I am taught;
But, I love you again
You never know!

All rivers may meet at ocean
All rains into the deep of earth
All fire and air into a single firmament
but not you and I, made of the same;
breathe, bleed and sweat the same;
but, how could I dare to unfold
my heart to you, a Hindu
before a girl; when a Muslim
I am before a human!
But you’re always in me
only to your unknown!