A forbidden river flows between us

Azizul Hakim, an eminent poet from West Bengal, India shares his poem

Azizul Hakim was born on 21st January 1972 in a remote village Lakshmi Narayanpur – Kolan of Murshidabad district in West Bengal, India. He fell in love with poetry while he was reciting poems in childhood being inspired by his father. Since then the dream of becoming a poet was nurtured by him. He started to write poetry from class six. When he was studying in class 10, his first poem was published in the Bengali magazine named ‘Chalantika’ from Lalbagh in Murshidabad. Then serially poems and short stories were published in the magazines ‘Agnihotri’, ‘Ava’, ‘Purbhavas’, ‘Abar Esechhi Phire’ and ‘Shilp Nagri’a. But being disoriented in the life struggle, he was exiled from writing for fifteen years long. Yet within that long period some remarkable poems and stories were emerged. He returned in the writing world through Facebook in 2015. From then the articles are published in various papers such as ‘Pratham Alo’, ‘Arambha’, ‘Paris Times’, ‘Kolkata Chitra’ and ‘Terminus’. Poems have also been published in some poetry anthologies such as ‘Tarunne Michil’ from Bangladesh, ‘Satash Nadi Ek Samudra’ from Anand Prakash, Kolkata. The first poetry book ‘Prem Biplob’ (Love-Revolution) was published in 1992. ‘Antara Tumi Eso’ is the poet’s second book of poetry. His Bengali novel, ‘Jhunjhki Alor Rekha’ is coming to the market in a few days. He is both a poet and a writer. He is also the general editor of the online magazine ‘Vin Akasher Tara/Star of the Other World’ and the international editor of ‘Grameen Sahitya Jagat’ published in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has been honored with many other awards like SAARC Human Rights Award, Vidyasagar Memorial Award, Anandmukhar Literary Award, Murshidabad Book Fair Literary Award etc.

FORBIDDEN RIVER

You’re on the other side and I am here 

A forbidden river flows between us

The color of eternity plays in the stream of water

The wings of the birds are covered with ruby-gold

They are playing and tumbling above the river

Yellow color folds are melted as on blue envelope.

Sailing in this river is prohibited,

Swimming in this river is forbidden;

Here the eagle’s eyes are lurking,

Here the barrel of the gun is thirsty for blood.  

Yet through the loopholes of the law

We look at each other

Birds fly across the border

They also come and sing here

In our time only there’s a forbidden river.

There is eternal illness of happiness through my shore  

Is there happiness on your side?

Beside me,

Blazing sand keeps its eyes to the horizon.

Is there your bank adorn with roses?

How long will I wait with your eyes?

Life is a fence of freedom

I can’t go to you even if I want.

And whatever you say,

A bird if I would be…

There is a forbidden river between you and me

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Received from Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

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