I Am No Stranger

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 I Am No Stranger

Ahsan Habib


The stars in the sky are my witnesses,

too are the flowers of this land,

the midnight bamboo groves, the endless glow of fireflies witnesses-

the Jarul and the Jamrul stand witness,

the eastern pond, shaded by its tangled fig branches watches me.

The kingfisher knows me well.

I am no newcomer here,

By God, I am no unknown traveler.

I am no stranger.

I am no stranger, for I have always been here.

By the rhythm of dreams, I remain here still.

And to stay here is to belong everywhere-

throughout this land.

I am no stranger.

The scorching sun, watery winds, the weary clouds of the afternoon,

the restless birds- they all know me.

They know I am no outsider.

The sheaves of rice in Kartik bear witness,

Like the trembling dewdrops on the chiroli leaves,

So does the shadow of Nishinda draped in a quilt of moonlight.

Even Kodom Ali, bent with untimely age,

withvfatigue darkness in tired eyes-

I know him,

I am none but of his own.

I know Jomila’s mother’s kitchen too

empty, echoing, with dry utensils.

She too knows me as well.

Place your hand upon the oar, upon the plough, and see-

the depth of my touch still lingers there.

Look closely-

My scent is in the soil, and in my body its fragrance lingers too.

Believe me,

I am no stranger.

Between paddy fields,

on the narrow winding path,

at the edge of the boundless river-

my existence entwined here.

I am that spellbound, innocent boy of the vanishing river.


Poet's Bio: 

Poet Ahsan Habib was a distinguished voice in Bangla literature, equally noted for his contributions to children’s writing. A leading figure of the post-1930s new wave of Bangla poetry, he was also a journalist and famous literary editor. His works reflect contemporary history, social realities, and a renewal of tradition through fresh artistic and philosophical insights. For his contributions, the Government of Bangladesh awarded him with the Ekushey Padak (1978) and the Independence Award (1994, posthumous).


Poet's Photo: 



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