Today, am I a traveller or a refugee
In this city where you are no more?
Will this city too suffer the pain of your absence,
The way I, she, and he have suffered this agony?
Who will breathe life into songs again, as you did?
Or will they merely remain—
A chaotic clamour of empty words?
Your songs will echo again—
In drinking dens,
In disco parties,
At weddings,
And in the countless bars of this city...
Through loudspeakers blaring your voice,
As if to draw God’s attention for a fleeting moment.
Someone will remember you,
Humming your very songs.
In the dark alleys of the city,
Mayabini, Anamika, or perhaps Maya will come alive again.
From the voice of some drunken singer,
I’ll once more hear Tumi Mor, Matho Mor’
Someone will sing again Lorali, Jontro, or Uroniya Mon
Behind closed doors, someone will sob alone,
Remembering you!
Within your melodies, someone will search again
For the one they lost in their heart.
Someone will search again—for themselves.
...!!
Slowly, the city will move forward,
Rushing once more towards a new horizon.
The city will smile again,
The city will cry again,
The city will long for you again.
But...
But without you, this city will remain tuneless!
Spring will come again,
Bihutoliswill be decorated again,
Someone will sing again Ya Ali, Majulit Ejoni Sowali.
But…!!
But you won’t be there...
And never again shall we hear
Your rebellious words—Ghenta kako khatir nakoro (I care for no one)
No one will tell a Bihu committee again—Mor Ji Mon, Moi Taakei Gaam! (I’ll sing what my heart feels)
No one will declare again—
'I have no caste,
I have no religion… I am free!'
You are gone today.
But...
But we must move on,
Ah, we must move on—
Carrying the burden of your absence!
We must move on!
We will have to move on
No matter how difficult the journey forwards may be
But we will have to trudge forward!
Today,
Today I am but a traveller—
Today, we are all but travellers—
Travellers in this city,
Where you are no more...!
(An Englisg translation of my self-composed Assamese poem- Jatri Ney Soronarthi)
Partha Prawal (Goswami) is a Guwahati-based journalist who loves to write about entertainment, sports, and social and civic issues among others. He is also the author of the book 'Autobiography Of A Paedophile'.