Ghazal: Translated by Ranu

Ghazal is a genre of poetry dealing largely with topics of both worldly and spiritual love, comprising of couplets, the second part of which are in rhyme. It’s sung by Ghulam Ali, who is also the lyricist. This particular ghazal is romantic.

I will try to translate it as a story. Ranu

The story begins with the lover who tells his ex-girl friend. He is visiting her city as a traveler. He wants to see her just once to tell her. He is lost, he doesn’t know where his destination is and has no idea about where he lives.

He asks for permission to stay till dawn. He doesn’t know after leaving her where must he go. To solve his problem he needs to think.

Then he complains about his life. He has hidden the firefly in his eyes, his eyelashes are holding on to tears. He wants his ex to give him permission to shed his tears.

This is the night he wants to talk about his painful love, his lips are trembling to complain.

He needs to express his thoughts therefore he needs permission to get it out of his system.

Then he shows some anger, he says, ‘if you intended to forget me why did you accept my love?’

He continues, ‘you are unfaithful, you shouldn’t have betrayed me.’

Finally he tells her, ‘I need to ask you a few questions, please let me see you just once.’

Then there is repetition of the beginning three times. “I’ve come to your city as a stranger!”

…………………………………………………. 🙂

Stranger, May 24th

Random Encounter

Yes we did have a fleeting moment with a stranger. It happened when I was living in a hostel in Holy Cross College. One day my self and three girls from the college, got permission from one of our teachers to go see a movie in the city.

We got ready, it was a summer day, the heat was at its peak, we got out of the gate of the college and walked a few yards, we were looking for a baby taxi.

Suddenly a gentleman dressed in a suit and hat approached us. ‘Hello,’ he said, ‘are you going to the stadium to watch the ball game?’

I turned around looked at him and replied, ‘No we aren’t.’

The gentleman then remarked, ‘wherever you’re going I can give you a lift.’

He noticed I looked behind him, I didn’t see any vehicle. He noticed me and announced, ‘my car is coming.’

My fellow students stayed quiet. I did the talking, ‘No thank you we’ll hire a baby taxi.’

Whoever he was left and I had to explain to one of my classmates why I didn’t think it was right for us to take the stranger’s offer. It was Dhaka city and agreeing this weird man’s suggestion was not only unwise but simply Dangerous! I said.

…….……………………………………….:)

365 Writing Prompts: The artist’s eye

Is there a painting or sculpture you’re drawn to? What does it say to you? Describe the experience(or if art doesn’t speak to you , tell us why.)

Wikipedia image

I am looking at a painting of Norman Rockwell. Looks like the family is gathered for Thanks Giving dinner. The family is waiting patiently for the Turkey dinner.

Mama’s got the Turkey roasted and is about to place it on the dinner table.There are smiling faces, it is a joyous occasion.

While almost everyone is anxious to get started to eat dinner, there is one friendly fellow  inviting me to join them.I’m thinking is Mama a good cook?If she is I must have a bite with them. Then again do they have enough food for one extra plate?

Uncles, aunts and Grandma is visible too. What if they are not ready to welcome a complete stranger. Let me try and see if they would share the Turkey dinner with me.

Can you see me there, the little girl in the corner is smiling at me. Okay I’m in their midst, can you see me? Mama’s Turkey was worth waiting for. I’m so stuffed up,I won’t need to eat for a week, wait a minute did I say a week, no, no, a half a day.

Bye mama, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters and papa, thank you so much for inviting me, will see you next Thanks Giving dinner, yum yum!

……………………………….:)

 

 

Daily Prompt: Greetings, Stranger

You’re sitting at a cafe when a stranger approaches you. This person asks what your name is and for some reason you reply. The stranger nods, “I’ve been looking for you.” What happens next?

I was sitting at ,Second Cup, enjoying my coffee, I suddenly noticed someone coming towards me. I pretended to look sideways, hoping this person will turn around and leave,much to my dismay I heard the word, “Shuprobhat”(good day). I turned around and saw the stranger addressing me.

I wasn’t in a mood to answer in  Bengali. I was irritated  and  said,”Are you talking to me”?

My attitude didn’t deter the stranger from continuing to speak to me, ignoring my reply, he smiled and replied,”Apnar naam ki”?( what’s your name)

Without thinking any further, “I mumbled, Ranu.”

The stranger nodded,”I’ve been looking for you.”

He seemed quite pleased and without hesitation pulled a chair to sit. I felt very uncomfortable as I had never seen him before and wasn’t sure of his motives.

Before settling down he excused himself , stood up to grab a cup of coffee for himself. He  came back and asked  what I was doing in this city. I kept my conversation to a minimum, I wasn’t interested to tell him anymore about me.

He was not willing to give up, he started telling me about his uncle whom he had never seen but heard a lot about. While he was talking I wondered why he was talking to me about his uncle and what’s that got to do with me.

My irritation reached it’s height, I looked at him and could not help asking, “Why are you talking to me about your uncle?”

He frowned and said, “My uncle is your father.”

I was shocked and could not speak for a few minutes, I then replied, “How do you know your uncle was my father?”

“Your father was the older brother of my father.”

I was embarrassed I apologized for my unfriendly behavior.

He invited me to go and meet his wife and children, I happily agreed . I was surprised to know he lived only a few blocks from me.

Meanwhile his wife had cooked a lavish dinner, the aroma of the food reminded me of my mother’s cooking.We had a delicious meal.

After dinner I invited the family to visit me. The stranger amazingly enough turned out to be my cousin, wow I thought!

……………………………………. 🙂

 

Tagore song: ekhoni ki holo tomar jabar bela

Is it time for you to leave already,

Oh my dear stranger,

Look into my heart

I have arranged all night

to have a seat for you.

Hesitatingly you came

perhaps to ask for something.

Silently in the twilight you

played with my thoughts.

You failed to express

the expectation you brought.

The bird sat on the edge of the branch

forgot to build its nest.

We met , we  didn’t recognize ,

you  had questions, but  didn’t ask

Why did you neglect

your own  desire?

Oh my dear stranger!

://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/tagore-song-ek…mar-jabar-bela/

DP Daily Prompts:Circuitous Paths

A stranger knocks on your door, asking for directions from your home to the closest gas station(or cafe, or library, your pick!). Instead of the fastest and shortest route, give him/her the one involving the most fun detours.

I thought instead of showing the stranger the nearest gas station, which would be terribly boring I’d like him to watch this video of St.John’s, which is far more interesting than  the way to a gas station.

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/10/18/dp-daily-promp…rcuitous-paths/

 

DP Daily Prompts: Greetings, Stranger

You’re sitting at a cafe when a stranger approaches you. This person asks what your name is,you reply. The stranger nods, “I’ve been looking for you.” What happens next?

I’m sitting in “Second Cup” waiting for my cup of coffee, it is crowded, I’m bored so I took out my book which I recently purchased, I read the title,”Atlas Shrugged” what a strange title I thought, I began reading it, told myself not bad, this will take me a while to finish reading, eleven hundred and six pages, wow, I said and looked up to see if the girl was calling me, no she wasn’t but I’m amazed to see someone approaching me, I never saw this woman in my life, what could she want from me. I stay seated and am pretending to look elsewhere, “Hello I hear a rather unusually hoarse voice.”

I look up, she is actually addressing me, “What’s your name, is the first question?

By this time I’m perturbed, “What?” I say, rather impolitely.

I want to know your name, she repeated.

What makes you think, I’ll tell you my name, I’ve never seen you before, I said.

Oh I am so sorry, I should have introduced myself before asking you a question, I was so  thrilled to see you I couldn’t wait to ask you your name, I am your student Heather, I was looking for you to give my good news, I’m finally ready to start studies in the school of medicine. You know how long I tried to get in.

Heather I’m so pleased I said, my name is Ranu. Yes I taught you in grade school, how wonderful to know you’ll prepare yourself to be a physician.

We talked for a while, I told her I was waiting for my coffee, she invited me to go to a restaurant, so we could talk. I found out she was engaged, would be married in a couple of months and I must attend her wedding.

I felt embarrassed I didn’t recognize my former student, she didn’t seem to mind. We had a delicious lunch in”Bistro Sofia” she dropped me off at my house and promised to get in touch with me.

At home I felt glad I went for that coffee I ended up not getting it but was pleased I met Heather, what a beautiful coincidence, is all I told myself!

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/dp-daily-promp…tings-stranger/

DP Daily Prompts: Middle Seat

It turns out that your neighbor on the plane/bus/train( or the person sitting at the next table at the coffee shop) is a very, very chatty tourist.Do you try to switch seats, go for a non-committal small talk, or make this person your new best friend?

On a plane sitting in the middle is very uncomfortable,the planes now a days have very little room to stretch your legs, so when I’m stuck in the middle it means I do not have the privilege of changing my seat,because no one wants to sit in the middle.

Then there is the problem of getting out of the middle because my neighbor finds it inconvenient to stand and let me go out of my seat,worst case scenario is when I come back the same passenger would have to get up to let me get to my middle seat.The inconvenience of sitting in the middle and a talkative neighbor on my side is something I try to avoid, I usually find a magazine and read the articles more than once to send a signal to my neighbor I am not in a mood to listen to whatever he/she is saying.

Since the neighbor is a stranger I won’t make small talk, I’ll probably watch the TV in front of me to let the neighbor know I am not friendly. I don’t think I’ll make friends with a completely unknown person.

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/dp-daily-prompts/

Writing Prompt: Stranger

Have you ever had a random encounter or fleeting moment with a stranger that stuck with you?

 

One year I had to go to Chicago to see my brother-in-law and his wife. They had a baby, my husband couldn’t go due to his back. He was in pain 24/7, so he thought we were obligated to see the little infant, since he was unable to go, I’d have to go. I won’t mention about the reception I got this is irrelevant here.

I boarded the plane with my two little ones in the wee hours of the morning. I had to carry their paraphernalia with me, to keep them under control. I reached Montreal safe and sound with my young family. At the airport runway for some reason we had to take a shuttle to go to the airport lounge. We were waiting to get the shuttle, in my mind I was thinking how was I going to carry the bags and hold on to my kids at the same time.

A lady behind called out and said, “I see you need help , let me take one of your kids to help you go on board.”

I was sure I was getting Divine help, I was so thankful to the lady, I couldn’t think of enough words to express how grateful I was.

We reached Chicago at 10 pm. my kids were fast asleep on the plane. When the plane landed and we were ready to get off, I heard another voice behind me, this time it was a gentleman, “Excuse me ma’am, your kids are sleeping, how will you carry them out,let me help you?”

Was this another voice from up above, I thought? I was delighted to take his offer of help, he carried my younger one and my older one woke up, I held her hand and carried the bags with me.

I thanked the gentleman and walked over to see my brother-in-law who came to pick me up. He had a very stupid question which I can’t help but write, “Who was this man?”

“A nice gentleman I said who offered to help me.”

 https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/writing-prompt

Writing Prompt: Shoulda,Woulda, Coulda

This prompt will highlight how lazy I am, well this is what I shoulda done yesterday. Combed my hair,called a great friend, went for a walk in the woods and got plenty of exercise, written an awesome story to wow all my blogger friends, watched the Olympics to know how many medals my Canadian friends grabbed, and last but not least paid a visit to our two faithful felines : Babble and Nelson.

I did not do any of these things I listed, mainly because my hair did not need to be combed. My good friend lives in a different city,it is expensive to call long distance.

Walking for exercise in minus seventeen degree Celsius, is not a thing I can do.

Awesome story was something I could not write because my brain refused to co-operate. When that happens you know you would be lucky if you remember your name.

Watching Olympics was a problem, they were not showing my Canadian friends.

Last ones on the list are Babble and Nelson; the two felines, they were already missing their friend owner, were not pleased to see someone else feeding them and cleaning their litter. They have finally adjusted to seeing one stranger, to see two at one time would be downright cruel, don’t ya think.

You might wonder who names a cat ,”Babble” well according to the owner he talks too much he thought Babble would be a perfect name for his feline friend, the name Nelson was an easy one for the second one,  there was news of Nelson Mandela’s death,the owner is a big fan of the prominent man, so he named his little kitten “Nelson”. Good idea I thought now he cannot forget his idol’s name.

So this was why I could not do the “Shoulda,Woulda,Coulda. You know what I mean!

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/365-days-feb. 13- Shoulda,Woulda,Coulda/