Another Mom by Tagore , Translation by Ranu

English: Sarada Devi, mother of Rabindranath Tagore Русский: Шарода Деби (Шарада Деви), мать Рабиндраната Тагора Українська: Шарода Дебі (Шарада Деві), мати Рабіндраната Тагора (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you were someone else’s Mom and not mine__

Do you think I would not have known you, and would not have gone to sit in your lap?

It would be so much fun__

We would have two homes ,

I would live in this village and you would live in the far off village.

This is where during the day

I would do everything and play,

at the end of the day I would go to you on the boat.

suddenly I would come from behind

I would ask ,’can you tell who it is.’

You would think, sounds familiar still I don’t know who.

Then I would jump into your lap

I would hug you and say,

‘You have to recognize me, I am your Obu.’

When you would go to the other side to get water

I would be on this side wondering if you can guess who it is.

I would take my paper boat

I would float it towards you,

If it would reach to your side would you know who it belongs to?

I did not learn to swim,

or else I would have gone myself___

I would swim from my side Mother, to your side.

Mother’s side  Obu’s side

that would be the difference, none of us

would  be able to catch each other,  we would not stay together.

We would be roaming around all day

we would see each other  far away,

in the early evening Obu and Mother will be reunited.

But  suddenly one day if Bipin the boatman

could not take you back to the other side, would you Ma,agree to stay?

I would light the earthen lamp

I would put the mat on the floor of the rooftop

You would sit on the mat and the old maid would sit near your feet___

the stars of the seven brothers would be seen in the sky,

the fox would be making its loud call from the paddy field,

Like flying shadows the bats  would be flying into the unknown.

Then Mother realizing it is late,

would you not be afraid at intervals thinking about Obu,

You would have to cross over to the place where Obu is.

Then would you be free,

would I  let you go back____

Mother would be caught from her side  and brought back to Obu’s side.

English: Paddy Field, between two mountain, Sylhet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)