Nodir Ghater Kaachhey Near the shore of the river by Tagore ,translation by Ranu

Near the shore of the river  the boat is tied up,

when I went for my bath  I saw

it was dancing on the waves.

Today I saw  it far away

in the middle of the river

pulled by the ebb-tide.

I know not where it will  end up,

what will  people be like,  and in what kind of attire!

sitting in the corner  of my room,   I have a  longing____

to float just like the boat brother,

to a new city.

Far in the ocean  on the river bank

English: Coconut trees along salty inland water മലയാളം: ചെമ്മീന്‍ കെട്ടുകളുടെ വശങ്ങളിലെ തെങ്ങ് കൃഷി (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

where  the coconut trees  lined up on the edge.

The  dressed up peak of the mountain between the blue sky

no one can break the ice and jump over.

Where is that place  where  new fruits and flowers

strange animals move  in groups.

At the end of so many nights the boat floats away___

why does Dad go to work I wonder

and not to a new country yonder?

DP Daily Prompt: History Of language ( The third time’s a charm)post by Ranu

There was a poor farmer.He lived alone in a hut made of mud.He was alone,he had to cook for himself. He did not earn enough to hire a maid. He went to the market daily to buy fish.It was cheaper than meat or chicken.It also took minimum time to cook.He had one bad habit .He left his house everyday to play the game of  cards.He made sure the food was cooked before he went to see his buddies.

One day as usual he cooked his meal and went to play with his friends.When he returned he had an eerie feeling something was not right.He immediately checked his food.Sure enough it was gone ,he had no fish that evening.He had to be contented with boiled rice. Next day he went as usual to play,when he came back ,same thing happened, the fish was missing. He was furious and decided to stay back to find  the thief. To his surprise ,he saw a tabby coming in ever so slowly.He was silent, as soon as the cat went for the fish, he caught it. He said out loud,”So you are the thief,who was eating my fish,I will kill you this second”. The way the cat looked at him  softened his heart, he gave up the idea of killing it and let it go. Then he said,”I know why they say third time’s the lucky charm.” I found the thief,when it came the third day and caught it.

Napowrimo ‘All About Translation’ post by Ranu

I told Tagore,’I translated your poem  it doesn’t make sense’.

The English words are hard to find.

So   I left it as a draft you know .

Along came my daughter Selina,

I let her read the translation,

She looked at me with a question mark,

I don’t know Mom,this much I can say,

You cannot translate all his poems.

But remember this much I will say,

Can you translate, ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ in Bengali?

I got my answer  I think,

and left the translation  as a “DRAFT”!