EVER
WITH MAN
RABIN SUR
Lion dwells alone in the forest with wild authority
Sun dazzles mane, slender waist–
ribs magnanimous,
never runs amock, killing without provocation.
Poet is a Rishi in a civilized society.
Pen is his spear. In luminous
meditation
he keeps men conscious, awakened,
with animated song of dream and happiness.
He never surrenders himself to a bullying camp
hoisting a flag of assembled success.
He is always .... ever
with man
in open air, under the sky, drenched with rain.
–Translated from Bengali by Jaydeb
Bhattacharya