NOSTALGIA
UMANATH BHATTACHARYA
After flowing through a good many leagues when
The river’s nearing its mouth you have come to
Instill in me a tingling yearning, O dear;
Where have you been so long?
How can I retrace my steps to the inaccessible
Source uphill to the springhead of youth?
’tis the Act five;
The drama is nearly played
And the curtain’s about to fall
Why you propose to enact it anew right
From the prologue?
When the image is brought to the riverside
For immersion wherefore sing you the Advent*
Songs and beat the melody of invocation ?
Bringing down the fading picture from the gallery
Will you be able to innovate it?
Reverse, who can, the course of time?
* Advent Songs – During
the Durgapuja festival these religious songs are sung
in